


[S] Hunt's On

by Sinneli



Category: Homestuck, Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-29
Updated: 2013-09-23
Packaged: 2017-12-13 08:16:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 23,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/822049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinneli/pseuds/Sinneli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"[S] Hunt's On" is a fanfiction dedicated to the Supernatural AU, where Homestuck characters live in a universe where they hunt supernaturals. Or at least, for John Egbert and Jade Harley. As their friend Rose goes missing, John is pulled once again into the days of hunting he thought he had left behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Call for Help

_John aimed the hammer at the man who had raised him, the pipe shattered on the ground, the all-prideful fedora that his father had treasured so much trampled to the ground._

" _John?" His father said in a strained voice, and John knew, despite the black eyes that did not reflect light and the shaking house of demonic power, it was his father speaking, and not the demon._

_John raised his hammer, tears in his eyes, his glasses cracked and foggy. He had to do this. He had to. He closed his eyes, and brought the hammer down._

" _I love you, son." And there was a sickening crunch, and it was all over._

"Another nightmare?" A soothing, feminine voice asked as John woke up, panting, his shirt drenched with cold sweat despite the chill air of autumn flowing through the open window. He looked to his right to see a gleaming eye in the darkness, and heard some ruffling. A slender girl with an eyepatch hugged him, patted his back. "Shoosh. It's ok. It's just another bad dream."

"Yeah… just a bad dream." John sat up, and so did Vriska, who continued to attempt to comfort him as John covered his face with his hands.

"It's not your fault, John." Vriska continued, patting his back. "I'll just get some water. We can go out and have some fresh air." John looked at Vriska, her long, ruffled hair tied to a ponytail, her eyepatch covering half of her face, supposedly from a horrifying experience with fire. She almost never took it off, and the time she did, John regretted asking for it. Not because he thought it ugly, but he knew, with the pained expression on Vriska's face, he brought up painful memories just as painful as his.

John stood as Vriska left to the kitchen, heading to a dining room, pulling the curtains a bit to the side to see the sun just about to break.

A few more rustling, and John swiftly turned, his hand curled to a fist, only see the grond getting close. A flurry of hair, and… was that a sausage?

"You've got rusty, John." He heard as he saw, out of the corner of his eyes, Vriska rushing to view.

"It's ok. It's ok. It's my sister." John twisted a bit to see his elder sister, Jade Harley, the buck-tooth still there. Five months apart, and yet she threw him like a ragged doll. Jade knelt beside him, giving him a hand on standing up.

"Oh. So this is…" Vriska did a gesture of hand passing between two. "I'll just leave now. You know. Have some family bonding." The way Vriska's eye gleamed made it seem as if she knew more than she ought to, and it did unnerve Jade a bit. The way she made a little whine like a frightened dog. Winking, Vriska disappeared, and John and Jade waited for the door to slam. It took a few minutes, probably, and silence made it seem longer, but John opened his mouth first.

"Where were you? You could have at least called." John turned to Jade, looking at her. They were about the same height, the sky blue meeting the piercing green.

"You know. Hunting." Jade rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "And I came here to ask for he-"

"Jade. No. I don't want to do that." John turned away, covering his eyes, the dream, no, memory flashing again in his head.

"John. It's Rose."

John paused a bit. "Rose? What does this one have to do with Rose?"

"She disappeared." Jade tapped her boots onto the floor, the tapping noise amplified by the silence that struck.  _She's waiting for more questions._ John thought.  _More questions. Startling up my curiosity._

"OK. How did she disappear? As far as I know, she can be off to a convention hunting for some… whatever cursed artifact thing she is into." Rose didn't know anything as far as he knew. She was deeply into occult, and the fake ones. Ghosts, demon summoning… and though he knew that Rose would one day actually strike the spot, he didn't know when. And it surely wasn't now. It couldn't be now.

"It's not even summoning, John. She didn't even do a ritual. Roxy's in…a catatonic state. And it's just kidnapping." Jade leaned against the wall. "Sulfur everywhere. Signs of break-in. I'm actually surprised Roxy is alive."

John bit his lips, pacing a bit in thought. "And you are sure that…"

"I know where to track. But as I said, I need your help." Jade shrugged. "So are you in?" Jade extended her hand as if to offer a handshake.

"Only if I get to drive Bec."

"Fuck no."


	2. Detour and Broken Hearts

"Sorry, Vriska. I really need to go." John said on the phone, sighing, punching Jade in the shoulder lightly as she drove Bec, a small compact car, slick, white, and always shining as Jade did a lot of work with it.

"John. You really don't have to apologize." John could hear a sigh on the other end, and some scuffling sound, made when she rubbed the eyepatch. It really sounded cute. "It's family business, right? I kind of know that feeling, so don't worry. Just call me when it's all over. OK? And don't you dare to forget that interview."

Interview. That word just rang there for three seconds, and John's face went pale. "Oh. OK. Yeah. The Interview. I won't forget." He said in an almost squeaky voice as he hung up.

"Amateur." Vriska rolled her eyes and hung up, tossing the phone on the sofa. "Wish he would stop forgetting things.

"Jade. Turn the car around right now." John said in a very panicky tone.

"John. I can't. There's no U-turn here. It's a one-way highway." True that, but Jade showed no reluctance to turn around. It was in the early evening and, despite the fact that John had to sort everything out, Jade didn't want to wait. And though John said to leave tomorrow, Jade insisted now, and the argument went around for three hours before Jade decided to go shopping, and John decided to sort things out a bit.

And he forgot that interview. "Jade. I had an appointment with the Peixes. The Betty Crocker franchise. You know. I could have been an intern." John was really nervous about that. A squeaky voice.

"Call them and say you'll be late or something. I don't give a fuck." Jade was very nonchalant and stubborn about this. Wait, was that sign…

"Jade. Why the hell are we going to  _Texas!?"_ Jade slammed the breaks, hurtling towards the side and parking in a very suspenseful and yet in a perfect manner.

"John. You won't make it to the interview. We are going to Dave because I need to pay him a visit. And I tried to track down Rose. Storm near Florida. That's our best lead and I want to get there before demons bail out and go back to the hellhole they were in. I don't have time to deal with your bullshit." Jade hissed between her gritted teeth. She was very pissed about something. It was clear, but what? John didn't even want to find out. Normally he would have joked about the time of the month thing, but he had a bad feeling that if he did, he won't ever have the shotgun. Or be in the car at all.

"Just… try and see if we can make it back on 7 pm day after tomorrow." John slumped a bit, sighing.

There was suddenly a bit of music going around, and John noticed it was Jade's cellphone. (Honestly, John had to d'aww a bit. There was a cute puppy keychain and she was still using that old Nokia phone plastered with chibi puppy pictures. Not to mention the ringtone was the Boom Boom Chacha anime song for little kids. Jade loved that show.) Jade took the phone, and John was confused a bit. Jade frowned and blushed at the same time. And that certainly was Dave on the phone.

"Dave. I told you to wait for me at the train station." Jade said in a very annoyed tone, almost growling. "I told you- oh now you are going to say your apartment? I'll be there in thirty minutes. THIRTY MINUTES. You better have a good explanation then." Jade proceeded to not even hang up the phone, and instead flung the phone on the back seat.

"Was that…"

"Dave. Now shut up and let me drive."

Thirty minutes seemed like days to John with Jade seething like crazy, and yet silence was a lot creepier. John almost dozed off to sleep when Jade honked the horn, sending the loud noise in the empty parking lot… and the abandoned train station. Why were they there? The clock on the car showed… 9 in the evening. Great. He was about to ask Jade why they were here when Jade just kicked the car open.

John was really surprised. Jade never kicked Bec. Never in his whole life did she know that Jade would even think about making a dent on the car. Now Jade slammed the door shut behind her as she ran forward. John got out, and saw a blonde guy with shades (ha. Shades in the middle of the night? Typical Strider.). Oh, it's Dave. He was just about to wave, and Dave sort of smiled and was about to say something when Jade just straight up punched the guy in the face.

"Jade!" John ran forward. "What the hell are you…"

"Look, Dave." Jade punched him again, and blood spurted a bit, the shade went flying, and Dave had red eyes. Well, albinism. Actually normal for Dave and it was really something John found cool. "I don't care if you cheated on me." Another punch, and John paused about few steps away. Jade grabbed him by the scruff of the collar, pulling him up and punching him again, sending him flying. "I don't care if you kept secrets from me. Cuz that's normal, right?"

"Look, Harley. What did I do wrong this time? Did I piss you off again like the time I said you needed a new-" Dave started, wiping the nosebleed. He didn't seem to mind the punches. In fact, he was rather content with being hit. He had done something wrong after all, but what? And John was being an awkward ass looking between those two.

"Well, tell that to me! Dave." She said the name Dave in a way as if she would quote someone. A hint of sarcasm. And Dave winced visibly. "What did you do wrong? Huh? As I said, I don't care if you get laid with every girl in the club you work as a DJ for. All I wanted was the truth and you just kept that away from me!"

"Well, what the hell am I supposed to do then? Tell you th-"

"No! I mean yes! Whatever you think you were supposed to do was wrong!"

"Harley, look. I'm really sorr-"

"Sorry doesn't cut it!"

Dave hadn't shouted. Jade was the one who was shouting, and John was looking between them back and forth in a very awkward manner. This was normal, right? A brother standing in a very awkward manner while his sister and her boyfriend had relationship issues. But it wasn't until Jade actually ran up to the car and kicked the trunk open.

"Jade…" John was about to say. When the trunk opened, some serious shit actually goes down. He couldn't even finish the sentence when Jade drew out her hunting rifle, well-polished and definitely loaded. He found the latter in a second as soon as Jade aimed and fired at Dave, hitting the mark straight in the chest. She didn't' even hesitate to load up another bullet. "Jade! You just shot…" He grabbed the gun muzzle. "You killed…"

"I didn't kill him." Jade said flatly. "The next one is going to be silver and up your ass if you don't tell me directly."

_Wait, silver? What?_  He turned to see Dave, still alive, though a bit of bleeding, looking at them, standing up. "I really said I was sorry, Jade. Look. I was in a pinch and…"

"He's a shapeshifter, John. He's not the real Dave." He saw Dave wince at the comment. "And he's been dating me for what? 4 years now?" Jade offered the really sarcastic threatening smile that girls gave when things are really going get bad.

And John was just in a very confused state.

 


	3. Crowing Truth

"Bro. I told you not to tell her." Dave said, clutching the broken shades as Jade tapped the tip of her boots onto the tiled floor of the diner, while Dirk leaned back, his caps and pointy anime shades covering his face. Jade was absolutely furious, glaring at Dave while John was trying to take in the fact that Dave was a shapeshifter.

Shapeshifters. What did John know about them? The last one he hunted was years ago, with Jade, and that guy was a douche. Too much frauds and broken hearts, as well as murder, and they just couldn't cut it.

_Aversion to silver, ability to turn to anyone, and skin shedding. That was gross._

"Well, she ought to know. And I can't let you do that whole thing just because I'm broke. Though you are pretty much the show on the camera." Dirk twitched his lips to a smirk.

"Bro. No."

"So um…" John interrupted the conversation a bit, and Jade shot him a glance that made his heart miss a bit. "When was Dave a shapeshifter? And where's the real Dave then?"

That sort of killed the mood. Dave looked at him in the manner of  _you just broke the bro code bro,_  and Dirk stopped smiling. "Alright. I told Jade this story, but this lady is fuming a little bit too much now, so I'll have to recite it again." He leaned forward, glancing around a bit. John did as well. The waiter was still making that chips and fries, and no one was in the diner at midnight.

"Dave here is a shapeshifter. I found him starving to death after the 'real Dave' as you say, left me because he couldn't handle my whole hunting business and the way I make money."

"Which is making porn by the way. And I'm the star." Dave kind of asserted that, and John suddenly wondered how ironic was the term 'internet sex icon' to Dave. But Jade shot another deadly glance and Dave just sank back to the chair.

"As I was saying, Dave left me, and I had this pal. He wasn't exactly spoiled so I kinda adopted him. But you know how shapeshifters go. I gave him a set of rules and as long as he doesn't break it, I give him bed and breakfast. And lunch and dinner depending on how broke I am." Dirk shrugged again, leaning back. "So that's the whole story. He's been living with me for 7 years now, and he's the one who became friends with you guys.

"And what about the real Dave? I mean the guy who I went to school with." Jade was almost snarling, and John could tell that she really was on a last straw. She hadn't seen Jade this mad. Ever.

"Oh, he's a rapper by the stage. But this guy right here? He's still my brother. Regardless of whether or not he's real Dave or no." Dirk ruffled the guy's hair, and Dave tried to swat him, but Dirk just pulled him and gave him a headlock. And John had to smile a bit. To be honest, they were like real brothers. Not like Jade and John. Well, not now. Long time ago maybe. He resisted the urge to make farting noises, though.

Jade didn't seem satisfied. "Then how serious were you?" She said in a haughty voice.

"Look, Harley. If you are pissed because I didn't tell you who I was then-"

"I said I don't give a fuck if you sleep with all the girls in the world .I asked how serious were you in this relationship. Am I just another one of the girls you pick on the street? Am I just your plaything!?" John then noticed at the edge of her eyes, tears. Tears. Was that what she was worried about?

"Harley." Dave was about to say but Jade raised her hand, cutting him off.

"You know what? I don't care anymore. Tell me where you met Rose."

That really ended the matter. And Dave was about to say something else but decided not to. Dave glanced at John, which he nodded. And he was just about to speak when Dirk interrupted.

"Before you guys talk about whatever you want, I'm outta here."

"But…"

"I am retired. I don't want to get into this mess unless it's absolutely necessary. If this girl you are looking for is lost, then you guys will find her. Good luck on that." With that, Dirk stood up. "And don't bother paying for dinner. I'm gonna pay for that. You guys have a nice meal." With that, his hands in his pockets, he left.

Silence fell, before Dave opened his mouth again. "I met Rose in a club two days ago. Doing… stuff."

 _Whatever I was doing is classified, Harley, and Egbert. It's uncool._ Dave quickly thought, putting the cracked shade back on. He thought this one was unbreakable but oh well. All are at the mercy of a girl in love. Who he probably really needed to apologize.

"And she saw me first, I think. I just saw her back and she knew. She knew it was me. Even though I wasn't me. You get what I mean, right?"

Jade rolled her eyes, but she was listening, and John had undivided attention. "And I was confused at first, why she was suddenly in Texas, and there out of all places. Right? She's not the one for clubs and shit, but she was there. One moment she was there, smiling, and the next, she wasn't."

"But what does this mean? And are you sure this is Rose?" Jade asked, grasping his hand, most likely unconsciously. She drew it back immediately as if shocked.

"Yes. Positive. Tell me what's going on. Egbert?" Now he faced John, asking.

"Um… Rose's been kidnapped. By demons."

Dave didn't break the silence. Instead, Jade did. "Come on, John, we are going." She grabbed the bag holding the rifle, then left. Meal forgotten.

"Wha- OK. Tell me what's going on here? Did we get enough info?" John was confused by the whole sudden departure.

"We got all we need. John." Jade looked, green eyes gleaming like a wolf on a trail. "We are dealing with a demon. And you know what they do."

"She's possessed then." Dave finished. "Good luck. And Ha-"

"Dave." Jade just opened the door. "If we ever meet again and you don't prepare the right answer, I will shoot you through the head." With that, Jade left.

"Dave. OK. It's gonna be alright. You know girls." John didn't care if this was a shapeshifter, or even not a human. He didn't care. This was Dave he knew for a while, and he just didn't mind. But when he heard the revving of Bec, he just bolted. "OkDaveseeyoulater" And with that, John dashed to the car.

And it was just the time to bring four stacks of fries and burgers. Good job, waiter. "Ah well, more for me." Dave said as he grabbed and ate the fries, looking at Bec's headlights going away in the distance.


	4. Unfaithful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, looks like John and Jade are in their deep ends. Hunting a ghost, and in argument.

"Jade."

"No, John. No."

"Jade. We really need to talk about this."

"John. Shut up."

"Jade! My interview!"

"John! What part of shut the fuck up do you not understand!"

This had been going on for an hour. The whole argument about John wanting Jade to turn around. Yes, indeed. John was going to go try and get Jade's attention, to pull over even. But Jade wouldn't even do that. It was already 4 in the morning, and John was definitely going to be late. Not because he couldn't make it (no, they had been driving for the past six hours, and Jade was extremely grumpy and John was trying to make it, and it was about 2 hour drive from home), but if Jade didn't drop him off, he would be late. Or never even make it. "I told you I am just going to search for Rose. It ended, right? I don't want part of this. I really don't!"

"No, John! You don't get it! Rose is in danger and-" Jade was having the last straw. She was so frustrated at Dave. And she really wanted to get this over with. Just really wanted to break down and cry, but she wouldn't.

"And what!? Do you want me to bash her head open like I did with dad? Because I sure don't want to!"

There was a screech, and Jade stopped the car. "Get out." Jade said, getting out as well. So did John. They were on a bridge, the river rushing underneath them.

"John. I know that it was horrible." Jade started, the frustration suddenly gone from her voice. She now understood why John was so reluctant to go.

"Jade. You don't understand. You weren't the one holding the hammer. You weren't the one whose dad was possessed. Hell, Grandpa Harley? He told you about it and I didn't! I never knew demons were real! I didn't know ghosts were real! I thought it was all fun make-believes that I was supposed to be afraid of and you knew it all! And you weren't there because what? Hunting trips? If you were there, you would have exorcised him or something. But I couldn't! Do you have any idea how frustrated and helpless I felt all this time? Do you know why I followed you after Grandpa Harley died? Do you have any single idea what I have been through!? I wish I hadn't even known to begin with! "

Jade's face paled, her eyes wide, a bit full of regret, a bit full of fear. What would she have done then? She didn't know.

There was some revving sound of the engines, and both Jade and John turned to see Bec, the car, revving up, the headlights on. "Did you leave the key?" John asked. No answer, but there was jingling, and Jade staring at the car. She held up the car key. She hadn't left it.

"Oh shit." Jade suddenly pushed John out of the way as Bec came charging onto the bridge, almost running over both of them. Out of the corner of his eyes, John saw a fuzzy shape in the driver's seat. A woman? Her eyes were white, the black hair flowing a bit, wearing pure white. She saw him, he thought, and grinned. Then the car just crashed into a car, and Jade screamed.

"You bitch!" Jade said, running over. "You son of a bitch!" She ran over to the car, assessing the damage. "You could have left the car alone and…" The car was, thankfully, fine. Except for few dents, but Jade had long since forgotten the argument with Dave and John earlier. It didn't matter to her. Only thing that mattered was Bec.

***Few hours later***

"OK. Seriously?" Jade was tapping her fingers onto the table of the café 7 in the morning, John researching the topic of a white ghost. A ghost in white. White lady. There. "So something about women who had unfaithful men, and they steal cars?"

"No, they don't steal cars. They sort of… um… kill them? You know. Standard ghosts with overloaded grudge."

"And how are you unfaithful?" John shrugged. So far, Vriska was the first girl he actually dated. And who would like him anyways? Dorky and childish most of the time. "And I found this picture here in the old newspaper article."

There was a picture of the girl who John had seen (and Jade had seen. She caught a glimpse too.) The girl looked tidy enough, happy even. "Damara Megido. She died… ten years ago? When her sister was six years old, and she had a fiancé who… cheated on her? With a guy?"

"This is the most twisted case of grudge ever. Now where is she buried?" Jade asked, seriously wanting to burn her up to crisp."

"Cremated. I guess we could burn down her house?" John suggested, laughing before realizing Jade looked quite serious.

"We are burning down her house." Jade nodded grimly, and John gulped.

**Again, few hours later**

"Well, thank god the younger sister moved away and the house is empty." John said as he sat on the car. Though he was very reluctant to do this. Jade, on the other hand, looked quite happy. "Come on. Let's burn this sucker down."

"Uh, you know what? I am just going to sit this one out. In the shotgun." John gulped. Fire. Horrible. And if they get caught, this was crime. And he was gonna pay a huge fine. And forget the interview. Forget college. Jade went out of the car, holding a box of matches and some gasoline. As soon as she stepped out of the car, John sighed, covered his eyes, and just decided that coming was a horrible idea.

And suddenly, the car lurched, and John saw Jade running towards him, shouting out his name as the car suddenly went backwards on high speed. John looked towards the driver's seat, only to find the wheels moving on its own.

OK. He was being kidnapped by a ghost. And he said what her grandmother would have said in this situation.

"Ah, snickerdoodles."

Jade had stopped following as she rushed to the house, lugging the gasoline and spreading it everywhere on the floor, on the walls, as much as she could. She was going to burn the bitch down. The car wasn't enough and now her brother? Hell no.

"OK. Miss Megido. Please be reasonable." John was trying to negotiate when there was a halt, and the car came to a stop on the bridge they had been on the previous night. Or early morning. Then the seat he had been sitting on leaned back, and there was someone on him. John blinked, and there was Damara Megido, leaning against him, her chest pressed against him. John gulped. She was wearing really skimpy dress, considering it was torn and her chest was showing really much. And her legs were very bare. Unfaithful men. "I wasn't unfaithful. You can't do this to me."

"I can make you." Was the reply. And she kissed her, and he could feel her nails digging onto his back. He tried to struggle, but there she was, and he could feel coldness going through him.

And Jade struck the match, and the whole place burst into flames.

++++ Few hours later ++++

"Why are we stopping?" John said, looking around, sucking on the wound on his lips, looking around. It was his home.

"You need to go for the interview John. I thought about it in a bit." Jade smiled, opening the door for him. "I thought about what you said. You really don't want to do this, and I should respect that."

"Jade…"

"Shh. John. Get some rest, and talk to your girlfriend. Alright?"

John smiled. "Thanks Jade." He stood up, and waved goodbye as he opened the door, and saw Jade leaving with Bec. Smiling, he turned, walking in the house. "Vriska?" Was she out? He walked around, looking at the house. It seemed rather empty. "Vriska?" Then he paused, stopping when he saw shadows.

"John…" John turned sharply, and there was Vriska, being suspended in the air by someone. Someone with red gleaming eyes, who looked at him. "Oh, looks like you got a boyfriend there, Serket." There was a cackle, and the demon looked back at Vriska. John was about to rush forward, save her, but the demon waved his hand, and he was flown backwards.

"Stay out of this. Her time's up."

He was about to ask, what was going on, when Vriska looked down at the demon. "Pyrope. Couldn't wait for a few hours, huh?" She grunted, attempting to twist the arm to letting go, but it failed, and there was a sharp crack and she slumped to the floor, her eye lifeless, neck twisted.

"No!" John screamed, and the demon, Pyrope, looked at him.

"As I said, the time's up. And she isn't going to cheat me anymore." She snapped her fingers, and there was a burst of flames.

"John. I'm sorry." Jade said. She had come back as soon as she saw the house ablaze. "I'm sorry that Vriska…"

"They didn't even find the body." John said grimly. He wasn't even crying. No tears. Just leaning his forehead against the shotgun seat. "Jade?"

"Yes, John?"

"Do you think if we find Rose, and we catch that demon in her, we might know more about them?"

"Why John?"

"Because I will hunt her down." John raised his eyes, and his eyes were full of determination, and not fear, not panic that he had previously shown. "And make her pay for this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To dear readers.  
> Due to my lack of writing skills to write proper fictional action-packed work, I couldn't post the action scenes. Sorry. I will try to make it up with feels next chapter.


	5. Forgotten Memories

" _Oh, come on, Mituna. You know we discussed about this." Latula said, a bit frustrated. "I want to go to that skating contest. We did mention that and I thought we were over with this!" Latula was on the wheel, driving through lane 413, as the sign passed by. She thought about this as irrelevant. Lane 413. Just like any other signs. Just passing by._

" _I don't want you to. I told you that those competitions are dangerous. And we went there last time. You almost broke your neck and you had to stay in the hospital for a month!" Mituna was a bit furious as well. He knew Latula didn't want to do this. He had asked Latula to start skating, and the first thing she had done was to do things that he told her not to do: engage in tricks that is meant for the higher levels. She was ridiculously good at it, but on competitions like such where dozens of people were skating at once? She was just lucky, they said. Just lucky to even survive that fall and with only a broken neck. "Do you really want to get yourself killed?"  
"If you mean I want to stay as a meek girl who did nothing but gaming all day and couldn't even step outside the door, I would rather die!" Latula snapped her head around to see Mituna, eye to eye, the mismatched eyes meeting hers. "I am going whether you like it or not. And you'll se-"_

_The rest was cut short as she saw someone standing in the middle of the empty road. "Shit!" She swerved to avoid, but it was too late. The car had hit him. Or so she thought. She could have sworn they passed right through him. And he was gone. Confusion swept over Latula, but it wasn't long before she felt the seatbelt tug her back to her seat as the car flew off the driveway, and all Latula could hear was the shout of her name from Mituna, and the deafening crash of the car hitting a tree as she blacked out._

_When she came to, she didn't know how much time had passed. But she looked to the right, clutching her head. "Mituna?" She said, the blur clearing from her head as her view cleared a little. Mituna wasn't there, the seatbelt undone. "Mituna?" Latula couldn't think. For a brief silence, Latula didn't move, waiting for a reply. She then unbuckled her seatbelt. "Mituna! Is anyone there? Help me!"_

_A sudden feeling of dread seized her. What if Mituna was dead? Lost? He couldn't be, right? She went a few steps away from the car, trying to look for Mituna, her boyfriend. Why did they have to fight?_

_Few steps later, Latula had a feeling that someone was watching her. Looking around, she noticed a gleam in the bushes. Was that…? She stepped backwards to see a man she thought she had hit earlier walking towards her, with a long knife in his hand. Latula ran backwards, running towards the road. "Help!" She screamed. "Anyone!" She saw the lights coming form the road. They should be able to help. She ran to the middle of the road, not even checking if the man was still following her._

" _Help!"_

"Jade! Watch out!" John shouted, but even as he said it, Jade hit the breaks, and Bec stopped inches from the girl who had just rushed in front of them. "Good dog. Best friend." Jade muttered under her breath as she clutched the handle tightly. "You ok there, lady?" John said as they got out of the car.

"Help… we crashed…there's this guy chasing me… and my boyfriend's missing…" Latula's breathing was in a hysteric panic.

"Slow down, miss." Jade said, patting the girls' back. "We can help. You say your car crashed?" Jade looked at John, gesturing him to go on a look-out. John did, but no signs of man carrying a knife or a car. "Uh, miss? Where did you say the car was?"

"It's supposed to be right… there." Latula had calmed down a bit, and went to see the wreckage, only to find it not there. "I swear. It was right there."

"Miss. I guess we could first get you out of here so…" Some dragging sound, and they turned to see the man a bit far away. "Get in the car." John didn't hesitate, dragging Latula into the backseat as Jade just turned the car on, and drove onwards. The man stepped in front of them, but Jade didn't' stop, instead pushing the gas pedal onto full speed. They plowed through him, and he vanished.

"What was that!?" Latula asked.

"A ghost. I think we assume that he has a… grudge against you for hitting him." John explained. "And um. He's been haunting this place for the past few years."

"A ghost?" Latula said incredulously. "Are you expecting me to belie-"

"If you witnessed what happened in the past five minutes, you'll probably believe that, lady." Jade interrupted. Lane 413. Again. "We are on a loop. John. Did you say you know where this person's tomb was?"

"Um. No, actually. But I think I have an idea where he lived, and according to the old customs… you know…"

"John. Shut up and get there and burn the corpse down. We have to get going to Roxy. Rose might already be gone. We really don't have time for this."

"Right." John just ran forward, and Jade grabbed the shotgun that had been underneath the driving wheel.

"Wait, you said that was a ghost! Are you going to shoot him or s-" The man ran forward, appearing suddenly and lunging at Latula. Jade didn't waste any time to blow a load of rock salt onto his face. "Rock salt. Ghosts go unconscious for a few minutes when they are hit with salt and iron. And burning up their corpse supposedly helps them pass on, as there is nothing to chain them to on the world of the living." Jade looked around. "I suggest you wait in the car."

"But what about my boyfriend? Mituna?" Latula was genuinely worried.  
"Your boyfriend is safe, Miss. He's in town now. He sent us here." But her voice was grim, and it wasn't a lie.

+++++ _Note: Author skipped the action cuz he was too lazy to type up the ghost burning part. We all know what happens. John burns the corpse and saves the day.+++++_

"And here we are." Jade said as she stopped at a house in the streets.

"Why are we stopping here?" Latula asked. "Didn't you say Mituna was going to be…"

"He's here." John said, helping her get out of the car. "Look."

Latula saw John pointing at the window to see Mituna, but what was he doing? Sleeping on the table, full of hastily drawn paintings drawn from crayons, seeming to be childish drawings.

"Miss Latula? You died five years ago on that road. Mituna didn't and he's been in rehabilation ever since. His mentality was a bit… damaged and he has relapses and often acts like a child." John explained. "He's moved on. And so should you. Ghosts shouldn't be here. You should be on your way to wherever they go."

Latula looked at John, about to say something, but she didn't. Well, not at least for a moment. No outrageous comment. "Do you know if I will be going to a better place?" She asked.

"No, ma'am. I still have yet to go there myself. But if you get there… and you see my dad? Mr. Egbert. Just ask around. And if he's there, say hi for me. OK?" John smiled, though sadness lingered in his heart.

Latula smiled, and hugged him. "I will." And she started to fade away, glittering a bit, and disappeared altogether.

"Should we have mentioned he once got arrested after his surgery for inappropriate groping?" Jade asked, leaning against Bec.

"Nah. Kinda late for that anyways."

"And are we forgetting something?"

"I don't know. Breakfast?"

"…"  
"Want to drop by Chucky Cheese? I'm hungry."


	6. Chapter 6: Splitting Rose

“Roxy?” There was a voice in the currently pitch-black house as Rose entered cautiously, looking around. It was stupid. Absolutely pointless to visit a human she had lived with for the past ten years since the incident allowed her to live as a human. But it honestly didn’t matter. Once a week, she would visit, and this pattern had continued for a month. She knew she should be expecting trouble, but she didn’t. Couldn’t even. Stench of alcohol hit her, knowing Roxy had been drinking. Again. She did that when she was upset. And guilt hit her again. She saw a shape on the sofa, and approached it, the violet eyes gleaming in the dark. “Roxy? I told you not to drink. Come on.” She smiled a bit, ends of her black lips twitching upwards, looking at the pale figure with blonde hair sleeping lightly. Maybe she should wait a bit. Until she wakes up. But she couldn’t. She needed to go. Just dropping by so she wouldn’t worry Roxy.

She stood up, sighing, about to leave, but pausing when she saw a gun muzzle pointed at her. And rustling behind her. Roxy had gone up, nodded at Jade, and disappeared. Rose smiled. Yes. She should have expected this coming.

“Well, Jade. I didn’t think you would be coming this soon.” Rose said in a cheerful, a bit friendly voice. “I should have prepared more for this sort of situation. How did you know I was here?”

“Well, let’s say you need to stop making a pattern. You come here every Sunday for a month. I didn’t think you would skip today, demon.” Jade had said demon.  Not Rose. A pang of regret hit Rose. Though it shouldn’t have.

“Well, I am a typical demon, am I not? Now, how do you plan to keep me here and not out? I didn’t see any salt circles. Unless John somehow made that while we were talking?” Unlikely. Rose knew there were other methods.

“No. Look up and see.” Rose did, and she saw the pentagram above her. The demon-trapping circle, more of. Pentagrams were actually meant to capture demons, but it didn’t matter, really. She was trapped. Rose attempted to step backwards, only to be pushed back by an invisible barrier. Well, at least she had the sofa. She sat down, not taking the eyes off Jade.

 

“So, what do you want to know?” She eyed John entering behind Jade, and Jade lowered the gun.

“How do you know if you won’t lie and sweet-talk the way out?” Jade asked threateningly. Rose noticed John looked a bit nervous, most likely from the older incident that killed his dad. But did it matter?

“Well, let’s say you don’t know. After a-“ The rest was cut short as Jade dumped a cup of water right on her face, reducing Rose to a screaming fit as the water smoked off her. Few moments of panting, grasping onto the couch, Rose glared at her. “Oh, is this how you want to play, Jade? The hard way?”

“If I have to.” Jade said, but Rose could sense a bit of satisfaction. Well, she was about to wipe it off?”

“No. I think it’s rather more personal isn’t it?” Rose sensed Jade was about to say something. “Why? Your grandfather? Isn’t it so sad you weren’t there to save him? You could have done worse. Like shoot him thr-“ Again. Jade sprayed more water on Rose, again, reducing her to screaming. But Jade had paled, and she knew. She knew that she had gotten underneath her unbreakable surface. And Rose was a bit satisfied with her attempt. She growled a bit, and Jade stormed out, leaving John alone with Rose. She sighed, looking at him.

“John. I’m sorry about Vriska. I heard…”

“Don’t. Talk about it.” John said, looking away. “Just tell me. How long have you been in her? When were you Rose then?”

“Do you want to know the truth?” She asked, and Rose didn’t even need to wait for the nod. She knew as he already nodded.

“Ten years. I’ve known you guys in about that much, right?” Smiling, Rose leaned back against the couch. “This… meatsuit is brain-dead. Rose suffered a… head injury. She’s brain-dead. If I take this girl to the doctor right now, and they do a scan, I can prove it.” She saw John’s face, full of disbelief. “So yes, I’ve been living as Rose for ten years. I have to say, I am becoming attached to human feelings for not leaving too long.” She looked down at her feet. “I’m the only thing that kept this girl working for years. She can survive maybe a week. Or a month with good care, but she’ll eventually die. And I can’t let this body go ruin. I’ve grown too attached to it. Even Roxy. I view her like… my sister. And I’ve just been… forgetting the feeling for a long time.”

“Forgetting?” John asked. “I thought you…”

“Demons are… twisted souls from hell, John. We all used to be human. Tortured… broken… twisted until we became… you know.” She gestured to herself. “That’s why we hate exorcism more than anything, John. We don’t want to go back there. It’s a pit of suffering an-“ Rose paused. “John. Don’t pity me. I can smell that pity miles away and I don’t want any of it.” She was quite serious about it.

“Sorry, but…” John was about to speak, but Rose silenced him. “We don’t deserve it. I have done horrible things before I was forced to keep a low profile. I possessed Rose, and tormented Roxy until I grew attached to her. Do you know why our mom left? It’s because of my intervention, John. I don’t deserve your pity and neither does any twisted soul.”

“And that’s enough info.” Jade came back, holding a thick leather-bound book, and Rose blinked, paling a bit. “Jade. Think about this.”

“No. You told him not to pity you and I won’t either. Let’s see how accurate your statement was, and I will believe when Rose is actually braindead as you spoke of.” Jade opened the book, and Rose looked at John, only to look away. As Jade started to mutter, Rose convulsed.

“Oh, by the way… John?” Rose gritted her teeth, trying not to get out. “Red-eyed demons? Cross-roads. Research them if you want revenge.” Jade continued, looking at Rose. Wisps of black smoke came out from Rose’s mouth, but she held tight. “And find this… key. It’s a pistol. With ability to kill anything.” Jade paused at the comment.

“Anything?”

“Anything. As in, any demon or monster that stepped on Earth after creation. It’s a key to… the Hell’s Gate. I entrusted this to someone I know. You go find her. Say that I sent you and she’ll give it.” Rose said. She was about to say more when Jade continued.

“Don’t send me back.” Rose said after a few more chanting. “Please.” Tears flowed down her eyes, and John had to look away. More black smoke started to come out of her mouth, but Jade didn’t stop.

“John. Be wary of Noir.” Rose spluttered, and more smoke came out. It was becoming a strain.”

“Who’s Noir?” John blurted, and Jade didn’t stop.

“He’s… your father’s killer. The demon who possessed your dad.” Rose said, and Jade should have stopped, but last word had been uttered, and Rose slumped forward, off the circle, breathing lightly.


	7. Chapter 7: Golden Memories

Jade had declined the offering of Roxy letting them stay at the house for a while. She had apologized about Rose, and the fact that she was currently in the hospital. The demon, apparently had told the truth. Jade currently felt conflicted. In the car, in Bec, she leaned her head against the wheel, sighing. John was out, researching for more jobs. She had insisted. And if he could find about crossroad demons and clues about this “Noir”, he should. Jade took off her glasses, laying them on the front of the car, behind the wheel, and after a breath or two, started sobbing.

“Grandpa…” She said, tears flowing down her cheeks as she remembered the days with Grandpa Harley. “What do I do?”

 

__+++++_

_“Grandpa!” A 7 year old Jade said, yelling with her hand clamped shut into a ball. “I caught a butterfly!” Grandpa Harley had patted her head. “Good job, Jade. Perhaps we should go out more often.” With a smile that twisted his mustache, he picked up the little girl with her round glasses, twirling her in the air as the blue butterfly she had caught fluttered away._

_“Well, Jade. I have to go to work soon. Don’t come down the basement, ok?” He had said that day, patting her head and setting her down._

_“Isn’t the basement where you catch bad people?” She had asked, but he has shook his head._

_“No. It’s where I catch bad things and teach them lessons so they don’t come back.”_

_He had said things. And she thought nothing of it._

_+++++_

_Jade heard screams all night before. This one, however, was unearthly, piercing scream as Jade woke up from her nightmare. Black beings flowing towards her, and she was running, flowers withering. She had called out for her grandpa, but he wasn’t there. She still remembered, to this very day, that nightmare was just a start._

_Jade started to go down the staircase, one by one, as screams echoed the hallway. It was rather a normal thing in this house this dead of the night. Grandpa Harley knew that, and so did Jade. He was hurting bad things. Bad things that killed people. That’s all she knew. She went around to check the lines of salt around the windows and the threshold of the doors. It’s just another precaution, just like the frames of every entrance of the house made of iron, preventing demons and ghosts from crossing. Every bookcase, Jade knew, every table had at least a gun loaded with silver bullets. She had been told not to touch those, but she didn’t mind. There was only one gun in her mind, and that was Grandpa Harley’s. He kept it by the bedside table, made of redwood, the golden label glistening, though Jade couldn’t read the fancy curvy letters. It was a piece of beauty. Quick loading hunting rifle at the state of pristine care._

_Jade was about to go back up the stairs when she heard footsteps. Instantly, she hid, and she saw her grandpa walking up the stairs, leaving the basement door open, sighing of tiredness. Screaming had stopped, and Jade thought it to be over._

_So, despite the former warnings not to go to the basement, she went down the open doorway, into the dark stairs._

_When she went down, she saw a woman tied to a chair, blood flowing, glistening in the slowly spinning lightbulb. Steam was rising from her. On the table, there were knives and water bottles littering the place. Jade thought the woman to be unconscious. Maybe even dead, like the people in the bags that Grandpa Harley buried occasionally, or burned._

_But she wasn’t. And the woman woke up, and startled Jade, and she backed against the wall. She saw this circle branded onto the ceiling, made purely of iron wires. The mechanism was complicated to Jade’s innocent eyes, but a pull of a chain and the circle can easily be broken or reset._

_But she didn’t know that. “Oh. I thought…” The woman said, and Jade could see the woman’s eyes were pure black, no whites in her eyes. And she had smiled kindly at her with a friendly tone. Instantly, she relaxed. “You must be his granddaughter, right?” Jade nodded._

_“What’s your name?” She had asked._

_“Jade Harley.” She didn’t meant to say it, but it just blurted out of her. “Are you one of the bad things?”_

_The woman didn’t even deny it. “I suppose I am one of those bad things, indeed.” She was a pretty woman, and Jade couldn’t help but feel a bit safe. And she couldn’t get out. “Don’t worry, Jade. I won’t harm you. I learned my lesson a bit.” She coughed, and blood spurted a bit, causing Jade to leap back. Jade could see a long wooden stake that was stabbing her in the back. She wondered why Grandpa Harley had done this. If she was a vampire, stakes won’t kill them._

_“Do you need water?” She went to the table but the woman almost shrieked. It was a question. She looked like she was about to puke, hence, water. “No. I don’t need water.” The woman said, tension in her voice, and Jade backed away from the table. “But if you don’t mind… can you pull that chain for me?”_

_“What does it do?” Jade asked, the one who had never been down onto the basement and didn’t know what it did._

_“It opens that window over there. I just want some fresh air, Jade.” The woman didn’t sound as if she was lying. Of course she didn’t. Jade could remember what Grandpa Harley had said about demons now. They can lie as easily as they breathe._

_And she nodded, and pulled the chain, turning her back from the woman. She heard snapping of the ropes, and something just being shoved into her mouth. Something insubstantial, tasted foul, and…_

_She didn’t know what to think._

_Cackling laughter from her own mouth as Grandpa Harley came down the stairs, armed with his own rifle._

_Saying there was no escape from this house. He was going to get Jade out of there and the demon back to hell._

_And she had said. She knew that. She knew she was going back to hell. But not before she caused him pain._

_She had surged forward, pulling Grandpa Harley and tossing him onto a wall with surprising ease. She would have cried out. Stopped if she could. But she couldn’t. Someone was the pilot, and not her._

_Grandpa Harley hitting the fire alarm, as water spray unleashed a flow of water, and she saw the smoke rising out of her skin. She didn’t feel pain, but the demon had, and the girl continued to writhe._

_Then the demon grasped one of the knives fallen from the table. When it had fallen or gotten onto her hand, the fragmented memories didn’t tell. She felt a sharp pain in her stomach._

_“Your granddaughter is dead. DEAD!” Her cackling laughter as Grandpa Harley started to mutter something, absolute shock and horror in his eyes._

_And the thing leaving, convulsing out of her forcefully as she collapsed onto the floor, the blackness greeting her in the usual manner._

_That day, she dreamt of empty golden streets._

_++++_

And the next day, he had taught her that demons were never to be trusted. Lying scums who won’t even hesitate to lie and hurt. And she had exorcised Rose, thinking she wasn’t telling the truth. And she happened to be her best friend. Just like Dave had been. She knew this was just… stereotypical, but it didn’t matter, apparently. Who could she trust then, if her best friends were a demon and a monster, some things she vowed to hunt down with her Grandpa, and when he was dead, alone?

“Jade.” She wiped away the tears as John entered, the clueless douche he was, not even noticing. “I found out about crossroad demons. I guess it does match the description a bit. And…” He pulled out a piece of parchment. “You need to see this.”

Jade, though her eyes blurry, looked at the piece of paper given to her, and read it. “Are you sure…”

“Yes. I think this is what Rose had said.” He held up the paper, showing the outlines of a gun. An old colt pistol. “A gun that can kill anything.”

“The gun that can kill anything.” Jade said, and she shivered. No. She didn’t want it. But John did. And his voice was full of… suppressed anger. She knew that, as she had heard it in her voice so very often, and she looked away, just as John said the words.

 

“The gun that will kill Noir. I am hunting that demon myself.”


	8. Chapter 8: Bloodlust

Jade lay on the bed, her shirt lifted up, showing the bare stomach, with a thin line of faded scar, once deep showing. She rubbed the scar, remembering, thinking. It’s been almost a week and they tracked the gun down. She had proposed that they capture the demon, but no. John was insistent to get the gun first.

 _He wants to kill._ Jade thought. She knew John knew now how to exorcise. It was on the back of his mind now, seared onto his head as soon as he learned it. She could recite it with a book. He didn’t even need to.

 _Memories. They do a lot of things._ Jade stood up, looking at John sleeping on the bed. Sighing, she stood up, getting to the bathroom to get some water. They had stopped by an inn. The colt was close. And they knew it was here. How they tracked, they don’t know. And Rose said to find her “friend”. Whoever was her friend, they didn’t know, but John insisted they come here without a plan. Sighing, she picked up the bottle of water and drank it. John had done a lot of research. She could see, beside the dining table, multiple notes about summoning a crossroad demon. There is not one that was specific. All had red eyes, and they came in a host, possessed and robbed of their life. Pyrope.  That was the name John was searching for. And there was no lead. No lead whatsoever. Seemed like crossroad demons were low-profile.

She read the notes. Tin box. Photo, black cat’s collar bone, and a flower. That was in a box, highlighted. Jade wondered why he had done that. And there was a lot that Jade was thinking about. Was John going to really kill Noir? And this other demon named Pyrope? Just for revenge? Killing on cold-blood… Jade had done a lot so far. And looking back, she thought for a bit. Demons, she didn’t regret besides Rose. They had attempted to lie to her, get under her skin and torture the living souls. So she didn’t think so.

But others? They were following their most basic instincts. They weren’t twisted evil beings. Just dark, and gruesome. But not evil. And she had hunt them in cold blood. Not to prevent them from hurting others. An image flashed in her mind. What if she found out Dave was a shape-shifter long time ago? She saw Dave’s corpse lying on the floor, the glasses cracked, the silver bullet lodged in his heart. The taste of bile rose on the back of her throat, and she thought otherwise. She shouldn’t think that. Ever.

 

A sound of rushing wind took her attention. She looked towards the window just in time to see black figures passing by at a ridiculous speed. She looked out the window to see them chasing someone. Or something. What were they? They looked… human.

“John?” She asked, but John was gone. Where had he… She noticed the disappearance of the silver dagger he kept beside his bed, and the hammer from the toolbox gone, and the open door. John had left silently. Jade looked at the hallway to see him disappearing in the corner. “John?” She ran forward, just in time to see John tackling one of the shadowy figures. It was, in first glance, human. But when it opened its mouth and hissed, she knew what it was.

 _Vampires._ She was about to say something to John, about anything when she saw his dagger was already glistening red as he stabbed the thing. It spasmed, before it went unconscious.

 

“John?” Jade approached.

“Dead man’s blood.” John replied. “Vampires get stoned when they come in contact. We’ve got to tie the sucker up.” She looked at the thing, no, the girl who lay there, with the dagger on the chest, not bleeding. Jade could see the swirling lines of tattoos on her pale skin, and Jade suddenly had a question.

“John. How did you know vampires were here?”

“The newspapers. You know. People being slaughtered. Serial killers. The usual.” John said nonchalantly, and Jade noticed that John looked… or felt, rather, queer.

“OK. Fine. But just… tell me next time.” Jade muttered.

+++++

 

“Huurrrng.” The vampire said as she started to wake up, looking at the two humans in front of her. Oh, this was certainly interesting.

“My name is Ja-“ Jade started, but John stopped her. “We don’t need to tell it our names, Jade.”

Jade would have asked John what happened to him. He changed so much the past week. Researching, diving, trying to find this gun so he could get revenge. It was hard. And Jade knew how he felt, but… For pure vengeance?

“We are going to ask you some questions.” Jade winced at the coldness of her voice. “And you are going to answer it truthfully.”

The vampire raised her eyebrow, but had so far, made no struggle with the bindings that tied her to the chair. It was just a normal rope. Nothing really bothered the vampires. Holy water, stakes, those things were just myths as far as Jade knew. And probably true. Decapitation is the way, like most creatures with physical body.

“And what” The vampire started to ask. “Happens if I don’t answer truthfully?” There was no playful, mocking tone in the voice, or her own prey, humans, caught the tone of looking down, of humiliation that she. No. It was purely of interest, and Jade noted that. This was getting weird. She was meeting creatures who broke the usual pattern. Rose. This vampire… and again, conflict rose in her mind. 

What did she know about vampires? She thought for a bit. Vampires don’t detest sunlight. It blinds them. Lights are too bright for them. Their blood is contagious, and it will cause vampirism. They hunt people, and unlike most vampire myths, they had secondary fangs like sharks, hidden in their gum, which only come out during feeding. Most view humans as prey, nothing to even worry about. They travel in flocks, and migrate quite on some occasions, and they are the ones that are the true culprits of the serial murder cases that are never solved. They taunt their prey, leaving them helpless, mocking them, torturing them, drinking their blood as they let them bleed out… Never putting them out of mercy.

And sometimes, recruitment. Show how powerful they are, and drink to the fill. And let them know that they are superior, entice their prey so they want to be the predator, not pathetic weak creature. And thus, mentality broken, the prey agrees, and they join ranks to become a part of the flock.

“You die. And so does the rest of your flock.” John held up the knife. “If you tell us the answers truthfully, we might consider letting you go.”

But she smirked. And John slapped her, and Jade winced. Why was John suddenly being so harsh? For the first time, she felt John being ice-cold. She hunted with him before, before he said he’d quit forever, and yet… did he change this much? Rather than relief that John wasn’t all ‘soft as anyone else’ like her grandpa had said, she felt tension.

“How long was I out?” The vampire asked, the French accent a bit in her voice.

“Why does it matter?” Jade blurted out before John could slap her again. He looked at her, but she answered anyways.

“Because it is the difference between the death of my sister.”

“Look. Your flock members ar-“

“No. I don’t know who you are, but the ones you have been chasing aren’t my flock. We are banished.” John paused, and listened. “I only have one member in the flock. And that’s my blood sister.”

“And why is your sister going to die?” Jade asked, as John didn’t say anything. Tension built, and she didn’t feel like handling it, but felt like she had to.

“Because the flock is chasing her. Whatever her ‘friend’ gave her is apparently dangerous.”

“And what is it?” It was John who asked this time, and Jade knew the answer. And John even more obviously so.

“A gun.” The vampire said nonchatantly. “An old pistol. Not worth my sister’s life. And I assume you want to kill me now that I blurted out all the information. Do it quick. I don’t want to be alive when you start to hack away.” She closed her eyes, and waited.

 _John would do that in his state right now._ Jade thought. But he didn’t.

“What’s your name?” He asked instead. The vampire opened her eyes, and cocked her head to the side out of curiosity.

“Porrim Maryam.”

++++++

 

It turned out that Kanaya received a gun from a certain someone (Rose, no doubt, Jade knew that). And she said she would keep it safe no matter what. And she did, until someone said it would fetch a high price. When asked what it was, Kanaya had replied she found it, and saying it is hers now. No one objected that time, but something had changed about the leader, Die. And he demanded that the gun be given to him. Knowing that something was wrong, Kanaya ran, and Porrim objected when Kanaya be hunted, but it didn’t matter. Thus Porrim was pursuing Kanaya as well, but to take her to safety instead of taking the gun.

“I would have told her to ditch the gun but she wouldn’t. You guys looking for it too, I’m assuming?”

“Yes.” John and Jade said simultaneously. Porrim nodded, but didn’t struggle. “Then let me go. I need to rescue my sister.”

 “And risk letting you kill us? No. Sorry, but we aren’t going to do that.” John said, slinging the knife and putting it back on the sheathe. “We’ll rescue your sister on one condition. We get the gun. And you stay here.” He threw the gun at Jade, which she caught easily.

“Then… go to the river-side. It’s where she might be hiding.” Porrim was hesitant, and Jade trusted her. John, however, didn’t. Well, not enough.

“I’ll look into that.” With that, he left.

++++

“John. What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Jade. Just. Leave me be.”

That ended abruptly when something leapt at them, tackling Jade. There was the sister, Kanaya. The resemblance was uncanny. If the hairstyle hadn’t been different, Porrim’s long and curly while Kanaya’s a bit spiky and messy, Jade would have mistaken her. “Are you Kanaya?” She asked when John looked as if to lunge at her. She made no move to struggle free. Kanaya suddenly hesistated.

“Who sent you?”

Two different answers.

“Rose.” Jade said.

“Your sister.” John said.

Kanaya blinked, looking back and forth between the two before letting Jade go. “So you two are…” They could see that she had a wooden box. “So Rose sent you to entrust this to you.”

Jade nodded, and John didn’t move. And as Kanaya handed over the box, Jade took it. “I really need to run.” Kanaya said, nodding at them, but when she was about to bound off, John grabbed her arm.

“What’s this about? Flocks don’t chase members.” It was true, and Jade looked down at the box, opening it to see a small pistol, lined with 5 bullets. So this was the…

“There’s this… thing inside him. Like Rose.” Jade assumed “him” was Die, the flock leader. But it didn’t matter. She knew what he was talking about. And so did John.

“Demon.” Jade said, clasping the thing shut. “We are going to exorcise that-“

“No.” John said, taking the box and looking at it. “Time to test this thing out.”

 

+++

They apparently didn’t have to wait long. John had the gun loaded. Jade had loaded tranquilizer needles filled with dead man’s blood into the hunting rifle. About a dozen vampires were there, surrounding Jade and John, holding up a bloody pigeon.

“So, you are those guys, hmm?” The vampire dressed in green stepped up. Jade caught a whiff of something. Sulfur. This one was the demon.

“So. You have the gun? Does that make you so worthy? Impenetrable? Well, ba-“

He didn’t get far. John didn’t hesitate to just raise the gun and shoot. He didn’t even aim. The bullet went through him. The vampire, no, demon frowned in confusion as there was a slow pulsing red light, before he collapsed to the ground.

There was a sudden outrage as the vampires surged in. “Stop!” Someone shouted, but they didn’t hear that. Jade caught Porrim’s face flashing into view before she was roughly pushed away by John. There was a spurt of blood, and she saw John…

_On her hands was the gun, filled with the other 4 bullets..._

_Porrim hissing, her face covered with bloodlust, but yet, resistance…_

_Her grabbing the lunging Kanaya in midair and running…_

_John dying. Yes. Dying. His blue eyes losing their light._

_And her, yelling the whole time…_

+++++

“This is my fault.” Porrim reassured her. Kanaya had been knocked out, and Porrim had asked if she could tie her. She stated it was for the best. Kanaya hadn’t fed and she had little control yet. “I should have arrived sooner.”

“No. John chose it.” Jade muttered, tears in her eyes, her sobs finally dwindling. “You don’t have to be sorry…”

“Jade. As much as I am a monster, it is my fault. I’ll make up for your loss.” Porrim patted her back, and Jade didn’t shy away. Rather… she felt comfort.

“So what will you do now?” She asked, and Jade stood up, walking over to John’s belongings. John was gone. Gone forever. Dead. Would he meet his dad? Because she hoped so. Maybe there was afterlife…

She brushed the papers he had been researching about crossroad demons, and paused. A shiver ran up her spine as she picked it up. Crossroad demons. Those who traded their souls shall be damned forever. But… they could bring back the dead. Any dead.

At the cost of her soul. She could bring John back.

“Porrim?” Jade asked, looking at the paper, her gaze hardening, her bucktooth biting her lower lips.

“Yes?”

“Do you mind… if you get these things for me?”


	9. Chapter 8: Bloodlust

Jade lay on the bed, her shirt lifted up, showing the bare stomach, with a thin line of faded scar, once deep showing. She rubbed the scar, remembering, thinking. It’s been almost a week and they tracked the gun down. She had proposed that they capture the demon, but no. John was insistent to get the gun first.   
He wants to kill. Jade thought. She knew John knew now how to exorcise. It was on the back of his mind now, seared onto his head as soon as he learned it. She could recite it with a book. He didn’t even need to.  
Memories. They do a lot of things. Jade stood up, looking at John sleeping on the bed. Sighing, she stood up, getting to the bathroom to get some water. They had stopped by an inn. The colt was close. And they knew it was here. How they tracked, they don’t know. And Rose said to find her “friend”. Whoever was her friend, they didn’t know, but John insisted they come here without a plan. Sighing, she picked up the bottle of water and drank it. John had done a lot of research. She could see, beside the dining table, multiple notes about summoning a crossroad demon. There is not one that was specific. All had red eyes, and they came in a host, possessed and robbed of their life. Pyrope. That was the name John was searching for. And there was no lead. No lead whatsoever. Seemed like crossroad demons were low-profile.   
She read the notes. Tin box. Photo, black cat’s collar bone, and a flower. That was in a box, highlighted. Jade wondered why he had done that. And there was a lot that Jade was thinking about. Was John going to really kill Noir? And this other demon named Pyrope? Just for revenge? Killing on cold-blood… Jade had done a lot so far. And looking back, she thought for a bit. Demons, she didn’t regret besides Rose. They had attempted to lie to her, get under her skin and torture the living souls. So she didn’t think so.  
But others? They were following their most basic instincts. They weren’t twisted evil beings. Just dark, and gruesome. But not evil. And she had hunt them in cold blood. Not to prevent them from hurting others. An image flashed in her mind. What if she found out Dave was a shape-shifter long time ago? She saw Dave’s corpse lying on the floor, the glasses cracked, the silver bullet lodged in his heart. The taste of bile rose on the back of her throat, and she thought otherwise. She shouldn’t think that. Ever. 

A sound of rushing wind took her attention. She looked towards the window just in time to see black figures passing by at a ridiculous speed. She looked out the window to see them chasing someone. Or something. What were they? They looked… human.   
“John?” She asked, but John was gone. Where had he… She noticed the disappearance of the silver dagger he kept beside his bed, and the hammer from the toolbox gone, and the open door. John had left silently. Jade looked at the hallway to see him disappearing in the corner. “John?” She ran forward, just in time to see John tackling one of the shadowy figures. It was, in first glance, human. But when it opened its mouth and hissed, she knew what it was.   
Vampires. She was about to say something to John, about anything when she saw his dagger was already glistening red as he stabbed the thing. It spasmed, before it went unconscious. 

“John?” Jade approached.   
“Dead man’s blood.” John replied. “Vampires get stoned when they come in contact. We’ve got to tie the sucker up.” She looked at the thing, no, the girl who lay there, with the dagger on the chest, not bleeding. Jade could see the swirling lines of tattoos on her pale skin, and Jade suddenly had a question.  
“John. How did you know vampires were here?”   
“The newspapers. You know. People being slaughtered. Serial killers. The usual.” John said nonchalantly, and Jade noticed that John looked… or felt, rather, queer.   
“OK. Fine. But just… tell me next time.” Jade muttered.   
+++++

“Huurrrng.” The vampire said as she started to wake up, looking at the two humans in front of her. Oh, this was certainly interesting.   
“My name is Ja-“ Jade started, but John stopped her. “We don’t need to tell it our names, Jade.”   
Jade would have asked John what happened to him. He changed so much the past week. Researching, diving, trying to find this gun so he could get revenge. It was hard. And Jade knew how he felt, but… For pure vengeance?   
“We are going to ask you some questions.” Jade winced at the coldness of her voice. “And you are going to answer it truthfully.”   
The vampire raised her eyebrow, but had so far, made no struggle with the bindings that tied her to the chair. It was just a normal rope. Nothing really bothered the vampires. Holy water, stakes, those things were just myths as far as Jade knew. And probably true. Decapitation is the way, like most creatures with physical body.   
“And what” The vampire started to ask. “Happens if I don’t answer truthfully?” There was no playful, mocking tone in the voice, or her own prey, humans, caught the tone of looking down, of humiliation that she. No. It was purely of interest, and Jade noted that. This was getting weird. She was meeting creatures who broke the usual pattern. Rose. This vampire… and again, conflict rose in her mind.   
What did she know about vampires? She thought for a bit. Vampires don’t detest sunlight. It blinds them. Lights are too bright for them. Their blood is contagious, and it will cause vampirism. They hunt people, and unlike most vampire myths, they had secondary fangs like sharks, hidden in their gum, which only come out during feeding. Most view humans as prey, nothing to even worry about. They travel in flocks, and migrate quite on some occasions, and they are the ones that are the true culprits of the serial murder cases that are never solved. They taunt their prey, leaving them helpless, mocking them, torturing them, drinking their blood as they let them bleed out… Never putting them out of mercy.   
And sometimes, recruitment. Show how powerful they are, and drink to the fill. And let them know that they are superior, entice their prey so they want to be the predator, not pathetic weak creature. And thus, mentality broken, the prey agrees, and they join ranks to become a part of the flock.   
“You die. And so does the rest of your flock.” John held up the knife. “If you tell us the answers truthfully, we might consider letting you go.”   
But she smirked. And John slapped her, and Jade winced. Why was John suddenly being so harsh? For the first time, she felt John being ice-cold. She hunted with him before, before he said he’d quit forever, and yet… did he change this much? Rather than relief that John wasn’t all ‘soft as anyone else’ like her grandpa had said, she felt tension.   
“How long was I out?” The vampire asked, the French accent a bit in her voice.   
“Why does it matter?” Jade blurted out before John could slap her again. He looked at her, but she answered anyways.   
“Because it is the difference between the death of my sister.”   
“Look. Your flock members ar-“  
“No. I don’t know who you are, but the ones you have been chasing aren’t my flock. We are banished.” John paused, and listened. “I only have one member in the flock. And that’s my blood sister.”  
“And why is your sister going to die?” Jade asked, as John didn’t say anything. Tension built, and she didn’t feel like handling it, but felt like she had to.   
“Because the flock is chasing her. Whatever her ‘friend’ gave her is apparently dangerous.”   
“And what is it?” It was John who asked this time, and Jade knew the answer. And John even more obviously so.   
“A gun.” The vampire said nonchatantly. “An old pistol. Not worth my sister’s life. And I assume you want to kill me now that I blurted out all the information. Do it quick. I don’t want to be alive when you start to hack away.” She closed her eyes, and waited.   
John would do that in his state right now. Jade thought. But he didn’t.   
“What’s your name?” He asked instead. The vampire opened her eyes, and cocked her head to the side out of curiosity.   
“Porrim Maryam.”  
++++++

It turned out that Kanaya received a gun from a certain someone (Rose, no doubt, Jade knew that). And she said she would keep it safe no matter what. And she did, until someone said it would fetch a high price. When asked what it was, Kanaya had replied she found it, and saying it is hers now. No one objected that time, but something had changed about the leader, Die. And he demanded that the gun be given to him. Knowing that something was wrong, Kanaya ran, and Porrim objected when Kanaya be hunted, but it didn’t matter. Thus Porrim was pursuing Kanaya as well, but to take her to safety instead of taking the gun.  
“I would have told her to ditch the gun but she wouldn’t. You guys looking for it too, I’m assuming?”  
“Yes.” John and Jade said simultaneously. Porrim nodded, but didn’t struggle. “Then let me go. I need to rescue my sister.”  
“And risk letting you kill us? No. Sorry, but we aren’t going to do that.” John said, slinging the knife and putting it back on the sheathe. “We’ll rescue your sister on one condition. We get the gun. And you stay here.” He threw the gun at Jade, which she caught easily.   
“Then… go to the river-side. It’s where she might be hiding.” Porrim was hesitant, and Jade trusted her. John, however, didn’t. Well, not enough.  
“I’ll look into that.” With that, he left.  
++++  
“John. What’s wrong with you?”  
“Nothing’s wrong, Jade. Just. Leave me be.”  
That ended abruptly when something leapt at them, tackling Jade. There was the sister, Kanaya. The resemblance was uncanny. If the hairstyle hadn’t been different, Porrim’s long and curly while Kanaya’s a bit spiky and messy, Jade would have mistaken her. “Are you Kanaya?” She asked when John looked as if to lunge at her. She made no move to struggle free. Kanaya suddenly hesistated.   
“Who sent you?”  
Two different answers.   
“Rose.” Jade said.  
“Your sister.” John said.   
Kanaya blinked, looking back and forth between the two before letting Jade go. “So you two are…” They could see that she had a wooden box. “So Rose sent you to entrust this to you.”   
Jade nodded, and John didn’t move. And as Kanaya handed over the box, Jade took it. “I really need to run.” Kanaya said, nodding at them, but when she was about to bound off, John grabbed her arm.  
“What’s this about? Flocks don’t chase members.” It was true, and Jade looked down at the box, opening it to see a small pistol, lined with 5 bullets. So this was the…  
“There’s this… thing inside him. Like Rose.” Jade assumed “him” was Die, the flock leader. But it didn’t matter. She knew what he was talking about. And so did John.   
“Demon.” Jade said, clasping the thing shut. “We are going to exorcise that-“  
“No.” John said, taking the box and looking at it. “Time to test this thing out.” 

+++  
They apparently didn’t have to wait long. John had the gun loaded. Jade had loaded tranquilizer needles filled with dead man’s blood into the hunting rifle. About a dozen vampires were there, surrounding Jade and John, holding up a bloody pigeon.   
“So, you are those guys, hmm?” The vampire dressed in green stepped up. Jade caught a whiff of something. Sulfur. This one was the demon.   
“So. You have the gun? Does that make you so worthy? Impenetrable? Well, ba-“  
He didn’t get far. John didn’t hesitate to just raise the gun and shoot. He didn’t even aim. The bullet went through him. The vampire, no, demon frowned in confusion as there was a slow pulsing red light, before he collapsed to the ground.   
There was a sudden outrage as the vampires surged in. “Stop!” Someone shouted, but they didn’t hear that. Jade caught Porrim’s face flashing into view before she was roughly pushed away by John. There was a spurt of blood, and she saw John…   
On her hands was the gun, filled with the other 4 bullets...  
Porrim hissing, her face covered with bloodlust, but yet, resistance…  
Her grabbing the lunging Kanaya in midair and running…  
John dying. Yes. Dying. His blue eyes losing their light.  
And her, yelling the whole time…

+++++  
“This is my fault.” Porrim reassured her. Kanaya had been knocked out, and Porrim had asked if she could tie her. She stated it was for the best. Kanaya hadn’t fed and she had little control yet. “I should have arrived sooner.”  
“No. John chose it.” Jade muttered, tears in her eyes, her sobs finally dwindling. “You don’t have to be sorry…”  
“Jade. As much as I am a monster, it is my fault. I’ll make up for your loss.” Porrim patted her back, and Jade didn’t shy away. Rather… she felt comfort.   
“So what will you do now?” She asked, and Jade stood up, walking over to John’s belongings. John was gone. Gone forever. Dead. Would he meet his dad? Because she hoped so. Maybe there was afterlife…  
She brushed the papers he had been researching about crossroad demons, and paused. A shiver ran up her spine as she picked it up. Crossroad demons. Those who traded their souls shall be damned forever. But… they could bring back the dead. Any dead.   
At the cost of her soul. She could bring John back.  
“Porrim?” Jade asked, looking at the paper, her gaze hardening, her bucktooth biting her lower lips.   
“Yes?”  
“Do you mind… if you get these things for me?”


	10. Haggling Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jade confronts a crossway demon.

**_Author’s note_ ** _: Thanks for the long wait. I am finally having enough time to type this up and continue. Also, writer’s block has stopped toying with me for the moment._

_+++++++_

_Jade. This is a horrible idea._ She told herself as she stepped onto the crossroad, looking at her car again. The lack of passenger had been quite obvious all the time, but now… with John obviously dead, it seemed quite empty. Jade rubbed her tear-stricken eyes as she took a small shovel and started digging into the gravel. _At least it was gravel and not asphalt_. Almost too easy. Except for the fact that she won’t have a soul when this ends.

 

 _Too easy. Is this why it’s so tempting?_ She stopped digging, leaving a small hole out in the open. Taking out a tin box, she filled the hole. The tin box with black cat bones, flower petals, and her own photo.  _Clear your mind._ Jade thought. _You dealt with demons before, right?_  

 

Scraping the gravel back to the hole, she waited for a bit. Was she supposed to do something? Like. Hi? Looking around, she saw nobody on the crossroad. Just her car, and her. Did she do something wrong? Had she done something wrong?

 

“Um. Hello?” Jade said aloud, to what seemed like particularly nobody.

 

_Tap._

 

Jade spun around hearing a tap of a cane on the road, facing a demon with red eyes. It was a demon, possessing a short-haired woman around her age. She was sure of it. Appearing out of nowhere of course. With a business suit and the cane, the demon looked like a lawyer from one of those shitty court games. It seemed like a joke. A bit like a joke and Jade resisted the urge to smile and choke up a laugh.

 

“What? It can’t be your first time.” The demon smiled in an unthreatening manner. Jade tensed a bit, instinct seizing her for a moment, touching a small vial of holy water in her pocket. Unthreatening as it seemed, she couldn’t trust a demon. Ever.

 

“You know. Even I can see that you are clearly in distress.” The demon paused for a bit, before cackling. “Oh, oops! I forgot my lovely meat suit here is blind. Well. Still, I can smell your desperation.” The demon took a deep breath, and Jade cocked her head to the side, getting a bit frustrated.

 

“Relax, relax. I know what you want.” The demon placed the cane under its arm, tucking it neatly and raising her hand in the “surrender-type” pose. “But explain the small prints for me. I have paperwork to do, so makes my job easier.” The hint of sarcasm was a bit obvious this time. The demon was joking around. And Jade gritted her teeth.

 

“My brother. I want him back.”

 

“Oh. Well. Isn’t that simple? Nothing else?” The demon walked around a bit, eyeing Jade. Jade just stood her ground, glaring, observing the demon as it tapped its cane, looking up at the sky.

 

Silence fell, though the tapping of the cane was persistent. “OK. Are we done here?” Jade decided to break the silence. “I am a busy person you know. And I don’t need none of your sass.”

 

Rolling its eyes, the demon faced Harley once again. “Jade. Jade. Jade. You undervalue your soul a bit too much.” The demon raised its cane and poked her chest. Though she backed away, the demon stepped one step closer. “This is a demon’s contract. You can get anything, and more. And you are just wishing for your brother’s life back? What a waste.”

 

The demon turned back again, tapping, walking three steps away before turning to Jade once more. “You sure you want him to remember being torn apart by, say, a bunch of bloodthirsty beasts?” The grin was very unsettling, and Jade was very tempted to wipe it off its face. “The fact that you sold your soul for a loan that I will collect in ten years…” She smirked. “Well. Are you sure you don’t want more?”

 

Jade hesitated. What did she want? Truly? Grandpa Harley coming back to life, but he wouldn’t want that. She had washed that one away. Making John happy. Giving the life back that she took from him when she just came to her doorstep. Vriska. His girlfriend. Maybe he would want that. Having her back, so he had somewhere to go to and someone to be with when this was all over.

 

And Rose… she was still feeling guilty about her. And resolving that stupid conflict with Dave. If it was the real Dave. But that seemed very petty. Petty that she wondered why she was so mad about it earlier.

 

“OK. How about this?” Jade said. “I want John to not remember that he died, and I want him to wake up in a motel that I am going to stay, thinking that dying was a nightmare.” Jade paused, thinking of other options. No. She wasn’t going to bring Dave into this. It was stupid if she had time to apologize. Not Rose either. Rose can claw her way up. As much as that will devastate Roxy, Jade didn’t want Rose to get into trouble by saying she allied with the humans. If she had been telling the truth of course. Either way, it was safer to leave Rose out of this.  “And I want a girl named Vriska Serket o-“

 

She was interrupted by an immediate hiss. “No.” The demon had hissed at her, in an absolutely seething manner. “You don’t get her.”

 

“Fine. Then no deal.” Haggling. Haggling had to work.

 

“No deal then. If there is something I am not going to do, it’s her being let go and wasting my five years of chasing that stupid spiderbitch.” The demon turned sharply, and Jade was about to say something. But the demon froze rigidly.

“But…” She heard it mutter. “Fine.” Grumbling, it turned towards Jade again, but in a very sour mood this time. “Looks like you are lucky that the higher-ups are interested in your soul.” Stepping closer, the cane tapping the floor, the demon was a step away from Jade. “One year.”

 

That made Jade hesitate. “One year. Going once.” The demon certainly didn’t want Vriska leaving for a reason. One year. One year to negate this contract. Not ten. One. Could she do it?

 

“Going twice.” She could see the demon didn’t want her to accept this offer. The only chance.

 

“Deal.” She said curtly.

“Sold.” Before Jade could even do anything, the demon had grabbed her collar and tugged her towards her, and the confused girl was completely baffled when their lips met. The entire thing lasted three seconds, and all Jade could think was _am I tasting cherry?_

 

Then the kiss broke apart, the demon wiping its lips. “I hate it every time she catches that lucky break.” The demon turned. “Drive down that road.” The demon pointed with her cane towards a direction. “First motel on the right. Your brother’s there. Buy him some fruit gushers.” Jade looked at the direction, then back at the demon, very bewildered about the sudden escalation of the situation. But the demon was gone as it had appeared, and Jade was once left alone with Bec. 


	11. Day off

“Does this sandwich taste weird to you?” John asked Jade, who was a bit aloof and looking at the newspaper, pretending she was reading it.

It had been three days since the incident. John thought Jade had gone around the town for a drive, and got him fruit gushers. _Oh sweet._ He had said. _I really missed having these._

“Hmm?” Jade looked up from the newspaper. She had really forgotten to mention a lot of things to John about that night. She was really happy to see him alive and had forgotten Vriska’s existence altogether. Poor her. “Um. I haven’t even eaten the sandwich yet?”

“Must be the mayo.” John nodded slowly, chewing and swallowing his chicken and mayonnaise sandwich. “Mind if I take yours?”

“Oh. Sure. I’m not that hungry.” Jade pushed that plate of cheese steak sandwich towards John. If there was one thing she didn’t get about the coffee shops was why the hell do they sell expensive sandwiches that were tasty and never make you feel full.

“Oh. Thanks. So, any leads today?” John asked, peering at the paper.

“Um…. Actually, John. Do you mind if we take the week off?” Jade suggested, shutting the newspaper, ignoring a lot of the articles that might or might not involve supernatural hunting business.

“Take a week off?” John said, stop chewing for a bit. “What about-“

“Look. I just want some rest.” Sighing, Jade brought her face onto the table, slumping over. “I told Dirk and Dave to do some research on the matter. I’m sure they have enough free time to actually go search up important stuff.”

John paused again. “You made up with Dave? When did that happen?”

 

+++++++2 days ago++++++++

“Hello?” Jade called the Strider residence, and had waited for quite some time for them to pick up. Called them about two times, but they didn’t receive it. Maybe they were somewhere else? Jade still called. Third time’s the charm, apparently. Someone had picked up.

“Strider residence.” A feminine voice replied, and Jade was confused for a second. Probably a guest. Or someone. Probably someone.

“Can I talk to one of the Striders then?” Jade asked, looking around, outside the phone booth. It was dark, and she didn’t like it.

“You are talking to one.” That just made something go click in her brain.

“Dave!?” Jade almost shrieked and dropped the phone. “What the hell are yo- You know what? Don’t answer that.”

“I thank you for your concern and your ignorance of the situation, Harley. What do you want?”

“I was going to apologize for shooting you, but I think you deserve that.” The tone of the voice went from concerned to _I am going to shoot you in the face._ “Where’s Dirk?”

“Bro’s out. Whatcha need? Research?”

 

++++++++Back to the present++++++++++

 

“Stuff.” Jade looked away, wanting to avoid the topic of one-sided awkward conversation. “Well. Anyways, deal or no deal on that one week vacation?”

John shrugged. “I don’t see why not? As long as Dave does his homework.”

++++++Strider Residence+++++++

“You know. That shot was totally worth it.” Dave said, jumping onto the couch and looking around the messy apartment littered with expensive electronics and shitty furniture. Cinderblocks with a board on top served as a desk, shitty swords hanging on the wall, that state-to-art DJ board, and that magnificent, brand new, HD definition TV meant solely for total pwnage of videogaming. “I am glad we could afford this TV.”

“When are we going to help your girlfriend?” Dirk asked as he took up the controller and changing the settings of the console to match the HD definition of the TV.

“When we kick some ass first.”

“No objections.”

 

+++++++Back to the coffee shop++++++++

 

_Oh. They left the coffee shop already. Hold up._

++++++++++++

“OK. John.” Jade pulled up to a car workshop. “I’m going to teach you how to fix Bec.” Jade gestured John to get out of the car, but he didn’t. She didn’t seem to mind as she pulled the small lever under the pedal, popping open the hood. Then she got out, and headed for the trunks.

“Jade?” John asked, getting out finally. “Why are you teaching me this now?”

“Because, John.” Jade looked at him as she shut the trunk, holding a heavy toolbox in her hand. “Some day, I might be hurt and in no condition to drive. Some day, I might be separated from Bec and you aren’t. And some day….” She paused for a second. “Some day, I might not be here to take care of him.”

 

“Jade…”

“John. Just learn. Could come useful. Now, pay attention.” 


	12. Chapter 12

**Day 6**

 

Jade had fallen asleep on the bed, and John had just gotten back from shopping for more salt and junk food to eat along the way. Noticing the laptop ajar on the bed with her, he took it to the bedside, and was about to close it when he noticed what was on the screen. It was a blog, made by a girl named Feferi Peixes, also named cuttleCuller on the Internet, mostly photoshoots and twits about what she was doing. Mostly going to the swimming pool, he noticed. He wondered why Jade had been looking at this sort of thing. She was never the one to put makeup in the first place. Looking at the history, he confirmed that this was recent.

“Has to be a girl thing.” John muttered as he shut the computer and went to bed.

 

**Day 12**

 

_Hello. This is Jade Harley. I am busy so I can’t pick up the phone right now. Please leave a message if it is urgent._

“Um. Hey, Harley. Bro found something. I don’t know but he seems rather frantic about it. He’s placing more than salt in the house this time. At least no silver in this house besides those knives locked up. I mean. Really. Knives? He really locked that up good for me in that safety box. Better uptight and careful than nothing. I don’t want to die of my allergies yet.”

 

**Day 15**

 

“I can’t believe this happened.” Jade said, looking over to the burning ruins of what used to be the Strider residence. “They have to be alive somewhere…”

“Yeah. I believe that too.” John said, kicking away a bunch of rubble. “How powerful would the demons be if they can blow up an entire house?”

“I don’t know, but I’m searching for a safe.” Jade said, digging a bit to find that iron box that Dave had mentioned. His ironies and everything. It was like a code.

“Oh here it is.” Jade uncovered a large iron box that didn’t even have a padlock on it. It was just a safe with some metal bindings. It wasn’t that difficult to open. Opening it up, she found a lot of papers. Talking about Oklahoma … and…

“John. We’ve got to go.” Jade said, turning sharply.

“What? What did that say?”

“We are going to go meet Dave and Dirk in Oklahoma. Now. We are already a bit late.”

 

**Day 16 – Oklahoma**

“You know, I always wondered when the hell would demons get a chainsaw and a blowtorch and hack away iron bars.” Dave said, looking ahead.

“I guess they were a bit old fashioned till now.” Dirk replied, swinging the katana, dripping wet with holy water.

“Why didn’t they also try and blow away salt lines? They are like. Really stupid.”

“Dave. Focus. How long do you think we can hold them off?”

“A while. I can’t die. Remember?”

“Correction, lil bro. You can. I just want to see Cal before everything.”

“Come on. You can’t be serious. He’s an annoying cousin.”

“Shh. Here he comes.”

A figure appeared in the misty surrounding. A silhouette, wearing a fedora, dressed in pure black, a scar on the right side of his face, flipping a butterfly knife in the air. “I hadn’t expected you two to be here. I thought you got my present.” The demon said in a rather obnoxious tone as he stopped twirling the knife. “So. How do you think you can stop me from opening that gate behind you?” He pointed behind them a small shack with complex symbols. It was more of a mausoleum than a shack, but it looked quite shabby.

“We can’t know until we try.” Dirk said, twirling his katana and leapt onto the demon.

 

+++++

“We are almost there!” Jade screamed.

“Why the hell are you screaming?” John asked.

“I don’t know! I just feel like it!” She saw a figure standing near the mausoleum, and two figures lying on the ground.

“Hold on tight!” Jade slammed on the gas, and sped straight onto the figure. John could see the guy’s surprised face as he slammed onto the car, and went flying. He didn’t hesitate to draw the gun from the backseat as Jade hit the breaks, making the car spin. He opened the car while it was still in motion, and as the guy who had just gone flying stood up, John drew the gun. His eyes ice-cold behind those glasses. He knew who he was. It was that clear. He didn’t even need to tell who this guy was. This guy was Noir. He could see it in his eyes. Piercing yellow like his dad before his death. He knew.

There was a gunshot. And the demon fell dead before he hit the ground.

 

“Dave? Dirk?” Jade got out of the car and ran ahead to those two. Dave first, and he was unconscious, barely breathing. Sighing in relief, she moved onto Dirk, but froze when she saw his condition. Bleeding, almost dead, the glasses that had so far proved indestructible cracked, barely breathing…

“John?” Jade was saying. “Call the ambulance!” But no reply. Jade turned to see him looking at the mausoleum. It was then she realized this whirring sound. Spinning around, she noticed the door to the mausoleum twirling open in a manner that didn’t open like normal doors. It was unraveling in a circular formation, and along with it, sparks of fire. “John!” She shouted and tackled John to the ground as what seemed to be mass of black smoke came out of the mausoleum. It lasted for ten full minutes, and then it stopped. Jade looked up to see the mausoleum closed as ever.

“Um… Jade?” John said. “I think we just screwed up big time.”

“Yeah. We did.”


	13. Aftermath

“The time of death. June, 12th. 11: 34pm.” The doctor said, looking at the clock. “We have to send Miss Lalonde our regards.” The doctor turned off the heart monitor while the nurses started to clean up.

And that was the perfect timing for Rose to bolt straight up from the bed, clutching her nightgown, panting, surprising the staffs. The nurse almost tripped over the wires, but Rose didn’t care much.

“OK. Who do I have to kill to get some French fries?” She said, looking at the staffs.

 

+++++++++

 

The knock on the door, and Jade opened the door to see a familiar face. Almost too surprising, wearing the white gown from the hospital. “Don’t look so surprised, Jade. You know what happened.” Rose said, looking past her and to the room, where Dirk was stuck in the bed, the oxygen mask covering his mouth as he breathed slowly, the heart monitor beeping slowly.

“At least I didn’t have to claw my way up. Made it in time at least.” Rose smiled as she was about to go in when Jade stepped out of the way for her, but paused for a moment, and stared at Jade. Confusion was the first thing, and then realization, and horror. “Jade.” Rose said, her eyes widening. “You really shouldn’t ha-“

“Don’t mention that.” Jade hissed under her breath. From the corner of the room, Rose could see that Dave was looking at them, before looking back at his brother.

“Can you help him?” Dave asked, looking at Rose. He was rather serious about it, his red eyes gleaming, the tone of irony and sarcasm gone from his voice.

“I can…” Rose started, but glanced at Jade. “But I won’t.”

“Why?” He asked to her, looking up at her with his crimson red eyes.

Rose rolled her eyes as she sat on a chair, looking at Dirk. “I don’t have the ‘mojo’ to do so without a contract. The requirements needed for a demonic contract is a human soul with consent. We can’t exactly take a soul and just do whatever we wish. Since you aren’t a human, I can’t take that, and Jade here won’t have one sooner or later.” Rose sounded annoyed, and ticked off. “And I have no intention to take your souls either way. I am your friend, and I am not going to let you suffer through hell if I can help it.”

“So you can’t erase my name off the list?” Jade was the one who asked. Rose shook her head. “I didn’t write that contract. I can’t do anything about it. And as for Dirk….” Rose sighed. “I guess we can all just leave it up to miracles now.”

“And God, maybe.” Rose winced at the mention, her eyes going black for a moment. Before she could protest, Dave left the room.

“Rude…” Rose said, turning to Jade. “Where’s John?”

Jade turned to look at Dirk for a moment. “He’s outside.” She replied. “But don’t tell him about th-“ But Rose was gone.

 

++++++

 

John had just entered a restaurant to ask for a pick-up for Dave and Jade. But as soon as he arrived, he saw someone waving a hand at him. Going to the table, a bit surprised to see Rose, he sat down on the table with her.

“Mind if I order something?” Rose smiled. But really, as soon as she said it, the waiter just brought in a large serving of fish and fries along with a large cup of lemonade. She then started stuffing herself with food as if she hadn’t eaten for ages. Well, she probably didn’t.

“Um... you look rather… starved?” John asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Why, yes. Hell isn’t exactly a friendly place with food restaurants. At least I didn’t have to claw the way out like I did years ago.” Rose shrugged as she took more fries, smiling at John, observing him. “So. What are you going to do about the demons?”

“Oh. Um. I guess we have to hunt them all?” John shrugged. “I don’t know. Exorcising one or two is hard. But hundreds? That’s really just hard.”

Rose blinked. “I find it surprising that you don’t harbor hatred to me, or the demons.” She leaned it. “Don’t you hate it that we killed your dad?”

The goofy smile didn’t waver. “You know, I killed the guy who killed my dad. I mean, you aren’t bad yourself. You didn’t kill my dad, and I’ve known you long enough. Though Jade said to never trust a demon, I think I can.” He shrugged. “And besides, Noir is the only demon that killed my dad. I can’t hate an entire race for being what they are.”

Rose paused for a moment, sipping on the lemonade. “John. Something I should tell you.” She leaned closer.

“What is it?”

“Noir meant to lead an army. Without leadership, there is no one to lead the demons to destroy the world and cause havoc. Well, they will anyways, but it’s not organized.”  When John didn’t ask questions, she continued. “Without leadership, they can’t cause mass catastrophe. Demons aren’t exactly known for cooperation. They only listened to Noir because he promised he would get them out. And now he’s dead, there’s no one to lead them on to some demonic revolution.”

“So… are they going to find someone to lead them?” John asked, a bit worried. That would be a terrifying concept.

“Heavens no. They are probably done for a while about leading.” Rose smiled. “But that power vacuum is going to still be there, and someone will take it some day. Just be cautious. And know that you can’t handle everything.”

“Thanks Rose.” John smiled.

“And one more thing.” She stooped down and picked up a suitcase. “I don’t even know if I am doing the right thing, John. Giving this to you. With Jade here, and… me… being me…” She opened the small suitcase, and out came a scythe. It was hardly elegant. The handle was roughly tied with leather straps, and the scythe curved as if it was some sort of a circular pincer. It looked rather unclean. Literally. No one seemed to have cared for it for a long time. If it was polished, it would be gleaming silver. And some strange runes are etched onto it.

“Rose? What’s this?” John extended his hand towards it, but Rose snapped the suitcase shut, a bit pale.

“A scythe.” And there was a pause. Then she continued.

“A scythe that can kill demons. Not exorcise, but kill. Obliterate.”


	14. Chapter 14: Hell Rising

Almost an year had passed since the release of demons, and Jade was getting rather paranoid. Searching to undo that contract she had done. She had no regrets on making that deal, but it didn’t make her scared. Asking Rose and hunting down other demons, she had went to search for a way to undo it. Even to the extent of killing the other demons to find it. But no.

“Jade.” Rose had said. “Someone. Someone higher than normal crossroad demons is involved here. Just doing this won’t do.” So Jade had asked how the soul will be taken. And Rose paled at the mention of it.

“I’ll just say this. Hellhounds. Look it up yourself.” So Jade did. And she wasn’t really happy about the result.

Then she found a lead. And she was going to go for it.

 

+++++

 

“So tell me about hellhounds.” Jade asked Rose on the phone, on the phone booth in the middle of nowhere.

“Hellhounds are basically dogs from hell. Crossroad demons often have at least one at their disposal. They are meant to chase a human marked for eternity, and snatch the soul and bring it back to hell for…” Rose paused. “You know. Making you one of us.” She didn’t sound enthusiastic, which was a relief to Jade. Sometimes, she kept forgetting Rose was a demon. Maybe for the whole year, she had been relying on Rose too much. Was she growing weak? No. She wasn’t. Rose was her friend, and she had proven that she was a valuable ally and a loyal friend, no matter what she was.

“So there is no way to stop them.” Jade asked Rose again. This question was asked all the time, and yet, the answer was always the same.

“You know the answer, Jade. I gave that thing to John for the reason of dealing with demons, but that is not going to help you deal with a hellhound on your trail.” Rose paused for a minute, and for a moment, Jade wondered what she was doing. Where she was. Out of curiosity. What would a demon do for a living? She never asked that question.

“You can throw it off the trail for a day. Maybe two at most. You really can’t do much about them. The best you can hope is to end yourself. Gun to the head.”

“And that’s supposed to get my soul going elsewhere?”

“Sadly, no. Your soul is marked, and it isn’t going anywhere but hell. Jade. You really have to tell John about this.”

“No.” Jade was very persistent about this. “The less he knows about this, the better.”

“Whatever you say, Jade.” She said. “Whatever you say.”

“Also, Rose?”

“Yes?”

“Do demons get replacement hellhounds?”

 

+++++++

 

Jade had left Bec on the parking lot, left the keys for it by John’s bedside table, and hailed herself a cab. It was seven in the evening, and she looked at the setting sun. Probably the last day she was going to be alive.

“Where are you going, miss?” The cab driver asked, looking back at her.

“Somewhere far” was what Jade was going to say, but it chortled to a cough when she saw the driver’s face warp into something more sinister. More… doglike, fangs and dead, white eyes staring back at her. It was gone when she blinked, and she was staring at the friendly-looking cab driver’s face.

“Just drive me to the next town.” She said meekly, the experience having shocked her to an extent, despite all the things she had gone through. _No chance of survival._ The words rang in her head.

And yet… she held a small string of hope. The last three bullets of the colt that was supposed to kill anything. Maybe it would kill the hellhound, and buy her some time.

Maybe. Just maybe.

 

+++++++

“I would like these please.” Jade said, dumping canisters of salt and spray paint onto the counter, as the lady started to check the bar code of each one of the products.

The gas station was quite empty, save for the fact that there were about two cars on the driveway. Someone was filling the gas, and the other car looked rather wrecked. The counter lady just beeped on, and Jade tapped her shoes onto the tiled pavement, looking to the right and seeing the magazines.

 _Would I be like those girls if I hadn’t known?_ Jade asked herself, smiling a bit, the slight buckteeth she has popping out of her lips a bit. No. Probably not. She was never into fashion like any of the girls. She had no interest in make-up or looking great for the matter. Nor was she interested in celebrities. The only thing she remembered that she was interested before was… squiddles. Squiddles were cute. And brought along the feeling of nostalgia. Sighing, she took the paper bag that was handed to her by the counter lady, filled with the things that she had bought, and was about to go outside, back to the suitable base she had found, when she came to a halt.

“Miss?” She heard someone say. That someone was wearing a police uniform, navy, and behind him, was a police car. “May I have your identification?”

“Why?” Jade asked nonchalantly.

“Well, to begin with, you match the description from a montague of a suspect. And I would like you to come with me if you don’t mind.”

“How about… no.” Jade said, and before he could reply, Jade pulled out a small, sawn off shotgun from her jacket, firing at the police officer.

No bullet went out, or scattered gunpowder. It was rock salt, and the police officer reacted badly to it. Burns, screams of agony.

She didn’t want to waste any time. She took out the pistol and fired, and saw the bullet killing the police officer and the demon inside of him.

She had known. She had known he was a demon. She wouldn’t have normally, but she did.

_+++++++++_

_Salt. Check._ Jade paced inside a small, abandoned farmhouse, layers and layers of salt circle encircling the farmhouse and every single threshold.

 _Demon traps? Check._ She didn’t know if it would help, but it was said to repel anything demonic in nature coming into the farmhouse, and she wasn’t sure how credible or reliable they were. She was going to be alone.

 _Rock salt and shotgun? Check._ She cocked the rifle. She hoped to slow the things down enough.

“OK. I’m ready.” She looked at the clock. One hour left before the hellhound came to her.

A knock on the door, and Jade went ahead, peering through the window to find… “Rose?” She asked, opening the door for a moment, looking at her friend. But her eyes widened, covering her mouth, much to Rose’s confusion.

“Jade?” Rose asked, not stepping into the house due to the obvious reason of not being able to.

“Um… Rose?” Jade asked uncertainly. “You’ve gotten… something on your face.” It was much more than that. And Jade could tell.

So could Rose, who broke out of confusion after saying “something on my-“ and touching her face. “Oh.” Rose grimaced. “Well, at least you know what we look like to each other.” She smiled, shrugging. “I wasn’t expecting you to be this close to the Veil soon.”

Jade gulped, staring at Rose with confusion, horror, and fear in her eyes. “OK. Why are you here anyways?”

“I called John. He’s coming here.”

Pause. Jade blinked, the fact that Rose looked different was suddenly gone, blood rising to her face. “Why did you tell him that?” Jade asked, clutching her hands into a fist.

“He’s your brother, and I thought he should know.”

“You promised.” Jade said, a bit hurt by her friend’s betrayal. If it was betrayal.

“I’m a demon, Jade. You should know as much.” The tone became much more serious this time. “You don’t have a chance against this thing. I told you.”

“I’ll deal with it. Go down fighting at least.” Jade turned, leaving Rose on the doorway. “Come on, Rose. Let me-“

A snarl was heard, and Jade froze. Rose was gone. A bit of disappointment seized her heart. She wished Rose had stayed… judging by even a demon had gone hiding at the sight of a hellhound.

Jade stepped away from the threshold as a gust of wind blew, and there it was, a smoking, red-eyed dog that was snarling at her. 


	15. Undigging of the Grave

Jade woke with an abrupt start, unable to breathe, unable to feel anything but the amount of pressure pushing down on her and burning pain on her shoulders. She pushed with all her might, attempting to kick her way open, before a ray of light hit her face. She sat up as quickly as she could, discovering she had been buried. Where was she? Confusion was on her face as she touched her face to wipe the glasses, only to discover she didn’t have them. Blinking, the blurry landscape in front of her, she looked around, standing up and crawling out of the hole, dusting herself. 

Barking. Running. Salt lines were useless. Delayed, yes, but didn’t hold. 

She touched her pockets, only to find the gun gone. She blinked, before feeling the breeze… on her chest. Looking down at herself, she noticed her t-shirt in tatters, showing her figure fully, and the jacket riddled with claw and bite marks. Blushing, thankful that no one was here, she clutched the jacket shut, and looked around. A white blurry spot in the distance, next to a road. Perhaps it’s a building? She thought as she started to step towards it. 

Leaping. A cry, but not from her. Hers was a scream as pain entered her mind. And blood. Lots of blood. She could feel teeth gnashing in her, and yet she was alive every moment. Every second. 

It was a small gas station, abandoned, it seemed, though quite recently. There was no one in sight, though the electricity seemed to be running. Squinting, pacing herself along the walls of the white building, she entered the place. They hadn’t taken out the goods yet, and Jade grabbed a bottle of water from the displaying fridge, glugging it down, realizing how thirsty she had been. Her shoulder blazed again, and she dropped the bottle. 

The next second was a feeling of nothingness. She couldn’t think, and yet she knew, and the next, she was chained. Chained and there were screams, not just from her mouth as the chains sizzled on her. Black smoke everywhere, people chained, stabbed, burnt, maimed, tortured, taking shape once again as the day passes…

Jade had found replacement glasses. It didn’t fit her properly, but it suited the purpose. Things were at least less blurry. Taking a t-shirt from a rack, she started to take off the jacket when something caught her eyes.   
On her shoulders were palm marks. Someone seemed to have placed their hands on her shoulder, and it had stayed, the marks clearly red on her shoulder. As if it had been burnt.   
She turned around, glancing about the small store. She felt something watching her. She didn’t waste time grabbing the salt on the shelves, starting to line the place with lines of salt, the doors, the windows. The TV had turned on by itself. So had the radio, but all there were was static.   
Then there was an ear-splitting sound, and Jade screamed as she clutched her ears. Her head felt like it was about to burst. It was indescribable. The pain in her head. It was as if someone was dragging a knife across a glass pane, except magnified to hundredfolds.   
Then it abruptly stopped, and Jade looked up to see nothing. No one was close, and the feeling of being watched was gone. 

+++++++

Jade recognized Bec from anywhere. Pickpocketing was easy as pie, and she got a proper pair of glasses. Finding Bec was a bit more tough. Going to an Internet Café was good. Hacking into it was tougher. Mr. Bee had helped a bit. Though confused why she (Ms. Puppydog) had contacted him now all of the sudden was confusing and frustrating for him. But he did it, and found the name plate.   
So she found John’s room quite easily in a nearby motel room.   
She was about to knock on the door when the door opened to show someone wearing a really skimpy nightgown that covered most of her chest. Pink, frilly, and fitting with the panties that the person was wearing. And that person happened to be Rose, who had a frustrated face.   
“I was expecting pizza delivery.” She said in a bit of a grumpy voice. “Not you.” The tone of the voice set Jade off a bit.   
“Well?” She asked. “What did you expect?”  
“Dave. As funny as it had been, this is the 10th time I am telling you t-“  
“Wait. Dave was me for at least ten times?” She said in a shrieking voice, which made Rose’s eyes widen with a considerable amount of shock and surprise.   
“Oh.”  
“Oh.”   
Both had said that almost simultaneously.   
“Nice dress.” Jade asked a bit awkwardly to break the silence, looking away.  
“I lost a bet.” Rose looked away as well, but turned. “John?” She called into the room. The next thing she knew, Rose hissed back as a splash of water hit Jade’s face, and she stood there, drenched. She saw through the dripping water on her glasses that Rose was rubbing a smoking part of her arm. Holy water.  
“I’m not Dave. And I’m not a demon.” Then she was greeted with a giant hug. 

++++++

“And that’s it.” Jade said, munching on a Big Mac as she grabbed the soda.   
“So you don’t remember anything about hell?” Rose inquired, and in a concerned voice. She hadn’t changed her clothes, and John was really trying to look away, his face a bit red from blushing.   
Jade shrugged. “No?” And she paused. “Did someone trade a soul for me?” She glared at John for a moment, then thought about Dave, so looked at Rose.  
“I tried.” John smiled a bit, which led Jade to glare at him again. “But they won’t let me. They sai-“  
“A crossroad demon got shot in the head for saying no.” Rose said, looking and observing Jade, trying to see how she had come back. “No demon would allow you to go free either.”   
“I woke up with this, though.” She pulled off the jacket, revealing the hand prints on her shoulder.   
“Whoa.” John said, looking at it. “You sure it isn’t demonic in origin?”  
“Pagan maybe?” Jade suggested. “Rose did say no demon would let me go. And I am still me. So….”  
Rose abruptly stood up, and Jade was a bit shocked as Rose started to pace around the house, muttering. “No… can’t be…” She said.   
“What, Rose?”  
But she ignored them, pacing, muttering, biting her nails. “Can’t be… Haven’t for a full millennium…” Then she paused, covering her eyes.  
“Jade. I think I know what just brought you back to life.”   
“What?”  
“Angels. And I might be back.”  
And she was gone, leaving Jade and John alone in the room. 

+++++++++

It was night, and Jade was asleep, John awake, looking at Jade. Rose hadn’t returned, and it had taken a while for Jade to go to sleep. She was sleeping so soundly, and John was watching. Angels. He wanted to believe it. So did Jade, but Rose had only read about it, and she didn’t have substantial proof of existence of angels, so she said she would ask around. Demon business apparently.  
The lights flickered, and Jade opened her eyes, grabbing the rifle next to her, John grabbing the sickle.   
But the lights weren’t flickering. It had burnt itself out, and the lightbulb burst into pieces, and the door opened to show a figure in a sweater. Someone with messy hair, a thick sweater in this weather…  
John lashed out with the sickle, but the thing didn’t cut the person.   
Instead, the person stared.  
“As much as you fucking humans show signs of ignorance, I didn’t expect you to deal with first-handed violence rather than express some gratitude for saving your nook-whiffing sister.” The person took the sickle from John’s hand. John didn’t even know when it had left his hand, and looked at him.   
“Who are you?” Jade lowered the gun, looking straight at the person. She knew the answer. But didn’t believe it.   
“My name is Karkat Vantas.” There was lightning outside in the rainless sky, and the room was illuminated. The shadow of an invisible wing spread out behind him across the wall. “And I am the Angel of the Lord.”


	16. Memories of a Rose

“John.” Rose grabbed John’s wrist as he left the grocery shop. She had been waiting, trying to find him for, like, 3 seconds. Being a demon helped to find where he was. It was just a matter of approach and things that prevented other demons from getting near hunters. They can’t exactly charge with an entire army of demons for the same reason. No one wants to risk going back to hell. And Rose certainly didn’t plan to do that again. Or die. And that factor was added an year ago. Just one factor. Maybe two now since….

“So it was an angel.” It wasn’t a question, and Rose thought for a bit. When was it that she was scared? Scared like a little girl afraid of monsters in the dark? A really long time ago. Centuries ago, in fact. Faded and blurred memories flooded her as she looked at John turning.

 

 _“Mom. Are you going to be ok?_ “ _Rose had asked. She was eight. Eight as a child, wearing a silky dress that noble children wore. Unlike most children for her age, interested in running around or growing up, learning manners, Rose was more interested in witches. Witches in general, casting magic and the plague in the general populace, making the skins of people rot and die. But her interest was fascination, and she went on to find matters about it._

_Of course, belonging to a noble family gave her some sort of immunity. And she wasn’t exactly dumb. She was smart, and she had diverted other’s attention on the matter. If she was found out, she would feign ignorance of magic and witches, and if they had solid evidence, she would say that witches looked like human, and more knowledge about them would allow them to be distinguished with the innocents._

_Not that she met a real witch before. That never happened, and it became more of a fantasy than reality._

_Until her mother was accused. Noble and all, the connections and all, they couldn’t prove it. Perhaps it was because her mother’s interest in astronomy and her late father’s work, who she never knew. She was framed as the demon’s spawn, while her mother was tied to an iron ball and thrown to the bottom of the river._

_Miraculously, she survived. And the iron ball had sunk like it should. Supposedly, if the iron ball floated, it would prove that she is a witch. But it didn’t, and she went back._

_But her mother had started coughing more frequently, and the handkerchief embroidered with red flowers got more and more red._

_But she lived. Longer than Rose at least. At the eve of her nineteenth birthday, Rose had been mauled._

“Well, he’s nice.” John shrugged it off quite easily, but Rose was firm. “I think you might like him too. He’s a bit shouty and stuff, bu-“

“John. I’m a demon.” Rose grabbed onto him. “Do you have any idea what they might be like to demons when angels start walking on Earth?”

“Uh…”

“They are angels, John. The entire Bible says they are warriors, meant to eliminate evil on Earth.”

“Come on. Do you really believe in the whole God’s warrior thing?” John asked that as a joke. To be honest, he sort of was happy that angels existed. Really, it seemed like they had a much better ally now. Sort of. If he wasn’t a douchebag who swears incoherently.

However, Rose winced at the word. Just that word, just like most demons would do, and her eyes turned black for a moment. “Yes, John, and I’m very much afraid that I will truly die if I meet your angel. Because, I’m not a human like you.” She paused for a second, before continuing.

“It’s because I’m a demon. One of the many evils in this world, and I don’t think your angel will like me very much.”  


	17. Stories of Many Seals

“Jade. Do you know how many angels actually saw God?” Karkat asked, sitting beside her. She was injured, bandages covering her arms and face. Spiritual burns. They had been trying to stop the seals. Angels were lacking in number, and demons had started to unravel what could be the end of the world. 66 seals to unravel, and when those 66 are unraveled, the world’s end will begin.

“I don’t know. Didn’t you?” Jade asked, slurping on a soda while watching the empty park.

“Five. There are five angels who actually saw God and he just disappeared out to nowhere.” Sighing, he covered his face. “And I am thinking of how insignificant I am on stopping this apocalypse.”

“Don’t say that. You stopped more than I could.” To tell the truth, the short time Jade had been with Karkat, she was getting attached to the grumpy angel who hated himself a bit.

“I don’t mean that. The rest of the angels follow the ironbound rules that had been in heaven for a long time. And there is no limit of mouth slosh I can spit out to actually explain how dumb it is.” He rubbed his face with his hands, as if tired. “I am wondering if God actually abandoned us and left us here to die.”

Silence fell, but Jade didn’t seem rather shocked about the idea.

“You know, considering things, I don’t think that is the case.” She smiled. “Maybe he did leave somewhere, but maybe he did so he can spectate on how we fare.” Shrugging, she hoisted her bag onto her shoulder. “You know. Because he doesn’t want to treat us as children anymore. Teaching us how to be independent.”

Karkat rolled his eyes. “If that’s the case, then he should be the one giving us the lifelong lesson instead of the Signless.” With that, and a swishing sound of wings, he was gone.

 

++++++++

 

The hair dripping wet from a dip in the swimming pool, Feferi walked along the sidewalk, breeze picking up. She was cold. Clutching herself a little, she quickened her pace, her footsteps echoing on the nearly empty street. The only people who were there beside her were a couple sitting in a fancy white car.

Fiddling with the keys, she entered her home. It wasn’t exactly a small house, considering she lived alone. But it didn’t seem to matter. The heater in the house was on, and always had a warm aura in it. It was rather a comfortable house, and with constant pastries arriving at her doorsteps (from Crockercorps due to her affiliation as a Peixes), she only wished they would stop sending those pastries so she could get her own food. It ruined the whole independence thing she had been working to do.

Shrugging off her coat and setting down the sports bag that contained her swimming gears, she plopped down on the couch, looking at the box of frosted cupcakes that had arrived this morning. The frosting had hardened during her swimming practice, making it a perfect, crunchy combination with the sweetness and the sourness of the lemon bread underneath. With it came a small note with nothing but a smiley face. Well, evil smiley face. There were goggles on its eyes, and spiky jagged grin. “Oh, Meenah.” She said, smiling, grabbing one. Well, she couldn’t always decline a nice meal. Taking the small pastry up to her mouth, she took a bite, savoring the frosting crunching and at the same time melting in her mouth, joining the cupcake bits.

A jab of pain hit the back of her throat and she almost gagged. _What was that_? She thought as she spat out the cupcake to find a bunch of needles in her hand. She had just spat out a bunch of needles after eating a cupcake. Were needles in the cupcake? No way. She only had a bite, and a handful of needles came out. Even more than she bit onto. And there was no way Meenah would add needles for Feferi. No. Impossible.

She felt sick, and more prickling sensation was climbing onto her throat. _What’s happening?_ She asked herself as she leaned to the sofa for support. There was something definitely wrong. Closing her eyes tight, she hoped for this to pass, be a dream.

But it didn’t. Instead, a large crash sounded as the door flew open. “John! The hexbag!” Someone had her. Rubbing her back, whispering it was going to be ok.

 

It probably would.

 

+++++++

“Someone was trying to jinx me?” Feferi looked at them.

“You are rather taking the existence of witches really well.” Jade was still comforting Feferi. She knew the girl. Well, followed her blog to be precise. But that was just before her untimely death with the hellhound. Meeting the girl who went to college with a swimming scholarship, popular and pretty in many ways, just was a time for Jade to socialize.

“Well, I did spit out a bunch of needles. I do have to take this matter seriously.” Feferi smiled at Jade. “Thanks for saving me and…” She paused for a moment. “Am I going to be ok?”

“Well, we did burn the hexbag, but considering this is more of a random victim event than… the usual vengeance thing that witches do…”

 

John and Jade had been tracking down more seals. Angels were starting to fall. Five were lost this week, according to Karkat, and demons apparently found a way to kill angels.

Rose knew nothing. And even though Jade did doubt Rose a bit, when Karkat was brought up, she declared ignorance. She really did not know how to kill an angel. But she did give a name of who might know.

“Scratch.” She had declared the name. “He’s the one responsible for breaking the seals. He was Noir’s mentor.” Then she had looked at Jade. “And the one responsible for your contract.”

And the one they found was the raising of a demon. A seal released by the death of three innocents three days in a row, one for each day. The seal had held for 800 days, and with the death of the third innocent, the demon will be released.

But they had stopped Feferi’s death, so yeah. It was cool. They stopped one. Another one in ten that they could stop.

 

“The witch doesn’t know you are alive yet.” Jade patted her back. “So don’t go out for a full day and you will be fine.” Then Jade left.

“Is she going to be ok?” John asked as Jade got back in the driver’s seat.

“Considering she just coughed up needles, yeah. I guess the hex wore off before it gave her too much damage?” Turning the key, she hit the gas, and Jade took a glimpse of Feferi peeking out of the window, waving at them.

+++++++++

_When the demonchild dies, when the traitor lives, the seal shall break._

It was in a casino that this situation was happening. A tall man, behind his shades, his eyes white from possession of a powerful demon, walked amongst the betting tables, people placing their bets and coins onto futile attempts to become rich.

 _Humans._ He thought. _How moronic of them._

For him, betting was purely for entertainment. Unlike most demons, he had given up on his job. Break a seal. That was what Scratch wanted him to do. But it didn’t matter to him. Scratch manipulated many strings, and he was sure that he could break one by using another demon. Or maybe he was being manipulated.

“Hey, rich boy.” Someone called him, and he turned to see a girl wearing a blue dress, showing half of her thigh while the rest covered her other leg. Long, black hair covered her bare back, and sultry blue lips entranced him.

Interesting girl, the demon had to say. Smiling, he leaned forward to her. He was a demon who lived for pleasure. Pleasure of whatever he wanted. “What’s the night with you going to cost?” He asked. If this didn’t work, he could just force her to.

“Oh, nothing.” Her voice was oozing with arrogance. And it motivated the demon even more. “Just a game. If you win… you can have me. If I win… well, I guess we could negotiate something then.” She winked, gesturing him to follow. And he did. Towards the VIP lounge, where it was always empty, and enough privacy were given to the customers.

She sat down, crossing her legs, and he couldn’t resist a glance as she started to set some dice on the table.

“So, what are we betting with?” He asked as he took a sit, smiling. Underhanded methods for demons would serve him well. He would win, no matter what game she plays.

“Well, let’s say life.” The dice were cobalt blue, glistening with beauty and ornate craftsmanship. “Since I did say you could have me.” She smiled that ever so arrogant smile. “We are going to play a game of dice. I’ll explain the rules.” She pulled out another set of dice and gave it to him, and he took them.

“The game is simple. You take six dice and roll them eight times. Each time you roll, you get points based on the dice roll.

The first is ‘All’. When all the dice are the same number, you get 10 points. The second is ‘Counter’, where the dice are rolled to numbers ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6’. The rest… is based on the numbers. You get points based on number of a certain number on the dice. ‘One’ you get the amount of points you gained by one. ‘Six’ you get the points for however many sixes you get.

And remember. You can only gain point one way. If you used ‘one’ once, then you can’t use it again. So use it carefully.” Smiling, she took her dice. “You roll first.”

 

\---

 

“Thanks for the game.” Vriska said as she picked up her dice, looking at the corpse of the man that had been the host of the demon. The demon was gone. Dead. Another seal prevented. She smiled. “Now, Pyrope, tell me why you are here.”

The blind demon was behind Vriska Serket, the gambler. “Simply observing because Milkshakes told me to.”

“Oh, really?” She turned, toying with the dice and looking at Terezi. “So Scratch was planning to kill me?”

“You do fit the description.” The blind demon snarled at Vriska. “Demonchild. Your father was a rugaroo. Your mother manipulated demons and drank their blood. You do fit the lovely description of demonchild.”

“Oh, really? Thank you. Now I ruined one of your perfect plans.” Vriska grinned. “Now, I guess it’s time for me to deal with you, right?”

“Not now, Serket.” Terezi said as she faded away. “Not yet.”

 

++++++


	18. Capture

"Hello. This is Agent Redglare, and I am here to ask you a couple of questions." The short-haired, tall, imposing person with a condescending figure, looking at Jade, handcuffed. "I understand you were very much involved in the murders that have happened quite recently."

Photos of their previous deeds came out. Some were not their doing. Honestly, most of it were victims created by whatever they were hunting. "I hope you understand that devil worship isn't exactly a thing that is tolerated to modern society."

"Actually… it wasn't devil worship." Jade smiled sweetly at the agent. She had no ill-intent against her, and she didn't need to. After all, this agent here was not aware of what had happened, and neither did she know about what had transpired here. She thought it was serial murder, related to demon worship, like most police officers did. Like almost everyone, really.

"Explain" was the concise answer that Jade heard from her. "And do explain all the things on the back of your trunk."

"Well, let me tell you a couple things." Jade started. "Starting from what you call a 'pentagram' earlier." Jade tugged at the picture of the circle on the back of her trunk, and drawn on it, a demon binding circle. "A pentagram wasn't really intended as a 'summoning circle', as most people in pop culture seem to know of. It's more of a binding one. They were once used by priests and witches who summoned the demon to banish them back to hell."

"So your intention was some sort of a spiritual belief that these people were demons of sort?" Redglare asked. It was difficult to read what she was thinking. Both women in the room were struggling to know what each other was thinking.

"It wasn't a belief, agent." Jade said, leaning back. "There are some things that exist, and you have no idea that they might be behind you." She then waved at the window, knowing fully well there was probably an entire group of news reporters leaning in to hear what she has to say. Serial killer interview was quite something that fetched high price in the news world, apparently.

"I see. And one last question. Do you have any idea where your brother might be hiding?"

"And why should I tell you that?"

"Because it will decrease the possibility of you facing execution instead of life sentence. After all, didn't you drag your brother out from his college life forcefully?"

Redglare knew she had struck a point with Jade, and smiled a bit, standing up. "I hope you have a great day, Miss Harley." She said as two guards seized Jade to return her to her holding cell. "We are going to get your brother whether or not you tell us."

"Oh, he won't be easy one." Jade said to Redglare as she was dragged away. "You heard me. We aren't the bad guys here!"

Redglare sighed as she turned the corner, running into the lab team. "Have you found any blood samples from the knife yet?" Redglare asked.

"A lot…" Someone named Captor said as he held up the file. She always found it queer that he was wearing 3D glasses, with an excuse of  _What if a new movie comes out and it's in 3D, but they run out of 3D glasses? I'll just stick to it._  "Where did you get this from anyways?"

"From the murderer. Why do you ask?"

"Well, because some of it aren't even… well, human. I don't even think it belongs to an animal. The DNA is a bit… too complex? Always changing, but it is rather close to a human's to begin with."

"Anything else?" Whatever this crazy talk was, the lab team will figure it out.

"Well, none of the blood matches our found victim's. That's for sure." Hardly a surprise. There must be another hidden murder weapon. "And the blade is silver. They must have had resources, or melt silverware. That's for sure."

"Thank you, Mr. Captor. Now, I must be on my way." But before she could say anything, there was a shout.

"The convict escaped!" Redglare immediately ran to the holding cell, where the guards were dumbfounded. The set of cuffs lay open, with a bent clip stuck in the keyhole.

"Oh, great." She rolled her eyes. "Now we are back to square one."


End file.
